


I'll Be There

by VivaJayne



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-06-02 12:01:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 36,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19441057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VivaJayne/pseuds/VivaJayne
Summary: Levy and Gajeel have just gotten their asses together, and about time too. But some ghosts from Levy's past have just risen from the grave and are haunting her yet again. With the help of her dragon, will she be able to overcome them? (Can be read as a one shot if you only read the first chapter!) Note: Rape is alluded to/discussed but never described





	1. Chapter 1

_Running. So much running. Levy’s feet ached from it, her heart pounded; her breath wasn’t coming fast enough. What was she going to do?_

_She rounded a corner into what she thought was a crowded street. In her panic she’d gotten lost, and she was now in an alley with only a few rats to keep her company. They were gaining on her._

_“Help!” She screamed, but her voice came out no louder than a whisper. They were the only ones who heard her._

_“No, please don’t…” She pleaded, tripping as they surrounded her, blocking her view of the open street. Tears were welling in her eyes._

_“Shut up,” They snapped. She couldn’t tell which one was talking. They moved as a unit, no distinguishing features to separate one from the herd. It made them scarier somehow._

_‘Just get it over with,’ she thought, seeing the glint of a sword in one of their hands. She tried to defend herself with magic, but the sword negated it. She was helpless in a battle of physical strength._

_She could tell from their grins what they wanted. They advanced on her, their arms outstretched…_

_And then, suddenly, they were gone._

_Levy looked up in confusion, catching sight of a large, darkly-clad man with rippling muscles and small, red eyes._

_Gajeel._

_Levy hadn’t seen him in days; he was always off by himself. But now here he was, scattering the criminals with several punches._

_They ran off with their tails between their legs, abandoning Levy in the alley with Gajeel._

_“Thank you!” She began to say, tears spilling freely from her eyes. Gajeel didn’t turn to look at her, just marched away into the fading light._

_Levy stared after him, confusion and hurt plaguing her mind._

.

The old wooden door creaked ever so slightly as the hinges stretched open to admit the visitor. It was dark inside the tiny cottage and darker still once Levy had shut the door quietly behind her. Gajeel hadn’t specifically told her she could come over, but then again he hadn’t specifically said not to either.

He had been acting odd for about a week now, Levy had noticed, and she figured it was about time she found out what was what. Gajeel’s place seemed like a good place to begin.

The cottage was much of what she’d expected: dust covered furniture and plain decoration. As Levy walked around, she counted a large wooden table with two chairs that didn’t match, a blue couch with holes peppering the arms, and a floor lamp that was tilted to an unsettling angle. The space was stuffy and closed, not what she thought someone of Gajeel’s height and size would look for in real estate.

“Ow!” She exclaimed as she bumped her hip on the corner of the dining room table. It and the chairs took up the majority of the kitchen, leaving little room to reach the low placed counter with a rusting sink. Levy turned to inspect the living room more closely; the couch was cramped into the corner opposite the kitchen, looking like someone had forced it to fit despite the fact that it was slightly too big. She raised an eyebrow.

The last piece of furniture was the lamp standing in the middle of the two rooms like a divider, shedding light on the only two doors outside of the entrance. ‘All in all,’ she thought to herself, ‘a very small and uncomfortable space.’

Levy slipped past the lamp, trying very hard not to tip it over. If she had, it would’ve only hit the couch, but it was so precariously placed she feared even a nudge might snap it in two. After her initial look around, she’d determined that nothing out here was going to give her any clues as to Gajeel’s odd behaviour recently. So she decided to move on to the rooms she couldn’t see.

Gingerly she twisted the first doorknob she could reach, finding a ‘bare necessities’ bathroom on the other side of it. There was a sink, a toilet, and a tub. The walls were a peeling yellow, the floor tiles were cracked and fading from a solid black to a splotchy grey, and the only window was covered by a moth-eaten cream-colored curtain. Despite the dinge, it was impeccably clean. Levy began to picture Gajeel bent over the floor tile scrubbing mercilessly with a toothbrush; the image made her giggle. She closed the door and continued her search.

The only other door in the house led to his bedroom. She wasn’t expecting much; A bed, a dresser maybe, nothing more. But when the shadow of the room was alleviated ever so slightly, Levy took a step back in surprise.

Inside the room there was only two pieces of furniture: a bed and a desk. The bed was large and plush, lumpy in a way that looked like it was overstuffed but still soft. A mass of blankets were bundled in various places, making it seem like someone had just woken from a fitful night’s sleep and neglected to fix the bed before leaving for the day. There were three pillows the size of large dogs thrown at the head of the bed as well; upon inspection Levy found they were filled with goose down.

The bed was interesting on its own; she had expected his bed to be hard and simple, not comfortable and inviting, but the thing that drew her eye was the mass amounts of paper that was covering the desk in the corner. She quickly ran over and picked one up:

_Blue_

That was all it said. The word was written in rough handwriting, and below it were scratches on the page as if someone had attempted to write more but couldn’t find the words. Levy picked up another page:

_Sweet Little One_

_The vine is long and the thorns are sharp, but the flower at the top sings with the melody of an antique harp_

Below the verse were more scratches, angrier this time. Levy gathered all of the pages, forming them into a neat pile that stacked higher than the flashlight she’d brought with her. The rest of the desk was bare once she’d move the paper, except for an ink bottle and a quill.

“They’re song lyrics!” She realised with a small gasp, shuffling through the stack. She knew she shouldn’t be reading these, they were Gajeel’s, but her curiosity pulled at her so forcefully she couldn’t say no. Settling down on the bed, Levy began to pick through the words. She read until the light no longer shone through the dusted window, bathing her in darkness.

.

“Hey,”

Levy shifted in her sleep. Her eyes were still closed and her breathing calm and relaxed, but a small smile lit her face. She was so peaceful.

“Hey,”

Her nose crinkled. She was reluctant to wake from the best sleep she’d had in a long time; her bed was so much comfier tonight, she thought she might never leave it.

“Hey!”

Finally she blinked the sleep from her eyes, realising that someone was calling to her.

“What…?” Levy yawned grumpily, stretching her arms over her head. It seemed like her bed was going to swallow her up, and she was going to let it. He mind was heavy with fatigue and the blankets were cradling her so tightly it was difficult to clear her head.

Then she caught sight of a tall, large figure standing in the doorway of what was definitely NOT her room.

She sat bolt upright in Gajeel’s bed, scattering sheets of paper in all different directions. Gajeel was leaning against the doorframe in his usual attire, his arms folded across his chest, his mouth set in a frown and his eyebrow quirked over one eye. Levy felt herself begin to blush.

“What’re you doing here?” He grumbled, his eyes downcast.

“I- I-” Levy stuttered. “I’m so sorry Gajeel, I just- I just came over to see you and-”

“You were snooping,” He finished, returning his gaze to her.

Levy contemplated lying, but thought better of it. She swung her legs off the bed and began gathering the papers she’d thrown. “You’ve been acting strange,” She mumbled. “I was hoping I could figure out what was wrong.”

“Well sorry to squash your hope Shorty,” He snapped. The red of his eyes pulsed ever so slightly with anger. “I don’t need your help.”

Levy flinched. His voice was harsher than normal, and the pit of her stomach was filled with nervous butterflies. She heard heavy footsteps coming towards her, and then a pull at the papers in her hands. Levy gave them over without protest, slipping the last of them into the pile before Gajeel placed them on his desk.

The room filled with silence. Gajeel was standing with his back to Levy, his posture cold and uninviting. Levy wondered if she should leave, but her determination prevented her from doing so. Gajeel was her friend, and she sort of even liked the big lummox. Therefore she would stick around for as long as he’d let her.

“You’ve got great potential,” She said eventually. “Your songs I mean. They’ve got a good foundation; the lyrics just need a little fine tuning.”

Gajeel huffed, glancing back at her. “You think I don’t know that?”

“I’m sorry,” Levy whispered. “I didn’t mean any offense.”

Silence settled between them once again, broken by a defeated sigh from Gajeel. “Eh, whatever.” He said, taking a step towards the door. With his long legs he could clear the room in the time it took Levy to stand up. Fear gripped her and before she could stop herself she was yelling after him.

“Wait!” She screamed a bit too loudly in the quiet of the house. Gajeel flinched at the noise, but stopped all the same. He didn’t say anything, so Levy took it as _her_ cue to say something. She searched her brain.

“I never got to thank you for earlier,” She said. “If you hadn’t been there I’m not sure what would’ve happened to me.”

“You’re strong,” Gajeel muttered. “You would’ve been fine. I just sped up the process.”

“Still…” Her voice fell to a whisper. She thought of the men in the alley and the look on their face. She’d seen that look on so many men before; some were old and haggard, some young and finding their way into maturity. Some of the men were even large and intimidating like Gajeel, but none of these men had ever scared her. It was something you heard about in other towns, not yours. Especially not happening to you.

She never saw that look in the eyes of any of her friends. Not even Gajeel.

Gajeel was quiet again. Levy noticed that he didn’t usually say much with anyone, but with her she thought he’d be different. Maybe it was a hope, maybe there was no logic behind it, but she thought it all the same. She cleared her throat, changing the topic in hopes of cracking his shell.

“Your songs… they’re about a girl?” She asked, settling on something that had been gnawing at her while she’d read.

Tension shifted into Gajeel’s shoulders, barely visible in the dark of night. When he didn’t speak, Levy pushed harder. “Who is she?” Her foot twisted shyly. Part of her was afraid of the answer, but at the same time she was dying to know. Eventually Gajeel turned to face her, the small iron studs in his nose blinking in the dim light.

“You’re supposed to be smart, shrimp.” He grunted, forcing a smile. “You haven’t figured it out?”

There was something sad about the smile that tugged at Levy’s heart. For a brief moment, Gajeel’s size didn’t overpower everything else about him. She could see the emotion shining through the cracks in his carefully placed armor.

She looked into his eyes, the implication there, the knowing, and finally understanding clicked into place in her brain.

“So, all these songs…” She blushed furiously. Her mouth worked, but she couldn’t bring herself to say what she was thinking. Her heart was pumping painfully in her chest; she thought it was going to burst free. She tried her best to collect herself.

“Well, that’s neither here nor there,” She said, crossing her arms and trying to keep her blush under control. “Most of your songs are about a girl that will remain unnamed for the time being, and that’s just fine. But the others… They’re so sad. I nearly cried myself to sleep,” She joked, nervous laughter escaping her lips. “Are these all true?”

A curt nod. Levy could’ve sworn she caught sight of a blush on his cheeks as well. She shook her head; Gajeel would never blush.

“So… they’re all about you then? And your life before Fairy Tail?”

Another nod

“Are you just going to sit there?” Levy laughed a sound like the tinkling of bells. Her nerves were a mess and she was sweating all over, but she held it together fairly well.

“Look,” Gajeel said, his eyes on his feet, “I know I don’t belong here with you people. Everyone knows it. I’m here because the Master asked me to be, but I think maybe it’s time.”

“Time for what?” Her head tilted to the side, her stomach bundling into a knot of nerves.

“Time for me to go.”

Her heart nearly stopped. “What do you mean?”

“It’s time for me to leave Fairy Tail,” Gajeel explained, rubbing the back of his neck. “Go my own way for a while.”

“And-” Levy’s voice broke. She cleared her throat and tried again. “You just decided this now?”

“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, actually. Not that it’s any of your business.” He quipped.

“…Why?”

Gajeel looked at her in surprise. The hurt in her voice was palpable, it took him off guard. He rolled his shoulders.

“You all have your little group here,” He explained. “I’m the outsider. Juvia fit in well enough, but she came here because she wanted to. I came here because Makarov thought it was a good idea to put a roof over my head.”

Levy didn’t say anything, just looked up at him in confusion and anger. Gajeel tore his gaze to the wall. Why did he feel like he should be apologizing to her?

“Believe it or not it’s nice to feel like I belong somewhere,” He traced a line down the light wood of the wall with his finger, his expression distant as though he were talking to himself. “Even tough guys like me want a family, friends, someplace to call home. This isn’t my home. It never was.”

Levy was silent for a long time, letting Gajeel’s words hang in the air like poison. She now knew why he’d been acting so odd recently, and why he couldn’t look her in the eye when she’d told him she was happy to have him around. Her fists began to shake, her fury bubbling up into her throat mingling with the fear that was already there. Suddenly she stood.

“No.” She whispered.

“What do you mean no?” Gajeel snapped, “It’s not your decision!”

“If you leave here,” Levy’s voice was cold, “If you leave _me_ , I will never forgive you.”

“I’m not leaving anything, I have nothing to leave.” His words hit her like a slap. She turned violently towards him, her voice rising with her feelings.

“You belong here Gajeel!” She cried. Her desperation to keep him here was alarming and something she didn’t quite understand, but the strength of it was staggering. She’d never felt this many emotions at once, and it was scaring her. “You belong here in Fairy Tail, with Natsu and Lucy, and Erza and Gray, and everyone else! Gajeel you belong here with me!” Tears had crept into Levy’s voice, so much so that she was shouting to balance the catch in her throat. “You have friends here! Fairy Tail _is_ your family!”

Gajeel sat, shell shocked, on the bed, his mouth working while he tried to find something to say. Levy was crying openly, tears of hopelessness and rage streaming down her cheeks.

“Gajeel,” She whispered. “ _I’m_ your family.”

The only sound then was the light sniffles coming from Levy. Gajeel looked up at her like she was something foreign that had just smacked him in the lip. For a while neither of them knew what to say.

“You…” Gajeel began, stumbling over the words. “You think I belong here… with you?”

Levy nodded.

“I… I don’t… Why do you care so much?”

“You don’t have to believe me,” She whispered. “You have no reason to. You’re so frustrating and arrogant and most of the time I want to hit you in your big, stupid face.” Gajeel’s mouth twitched. “But I’ve never felt that way towards anyone before, and the thought of never seeing you again… I just can’t let that happen. Not now, not ever.”

She let her words sink in, trying to get her emotions under control. Gajeel was still stunned, unable to get his thoughts straight. After a while, when Levy had calmed down, he took a small step towards her.

“I guess… and I’m not saying I will,” He added quickly, “But I guess if _one_ person around here needs their ass saved by me I can stick around… for a little while.”

Levy looked up at him then, the slight tilt of his mouth, the sparkle in his eyes, the confidence on his face that was masking the intensity of the loneliness he had felt, and she couldn’t control herself any longer; her happiness and relief washed over her in waves.

She crashed into Gajeel, her arms securing around his waist, her cheek pressed firmly into the pliable muscle of his chest. She didn’t know exactly how she’d gotten there, but she was there and it was all that mattered.

She heard his intake of breath, felt him stiffen, and then, slowly, his arms found their way around her small body. Levy let out her breath in a long, contented sigh, a single tear slipping from the corner of her eye. Gajeel’s grip tightened on her, drawing her into him. His body closed in around her, his head ducking down to rest on the top of her head, his upper arms squeezing until all she could see was the black of his shirt. There was gentleness to the way he held her, like she was fragile and precious, but there was also tightness like he never wanted to let her go. Levy felt more tears well in her eyes, burying her face further into the width of his chest.

“What was that for?” She heard him mutter, still holding her. “Better not think I’m weak or nothin’”

“Do you have to be so pigheaded?” Levy whispered back, wiping her tears on the rough fabric at her cheek. “Everyone deserves a hug when they need one.”

“I never said I needed one.” Gajeel’s voice was quiet and rough, like he hoped the words wouldn’t push her away. In response she tightened her grip.

“I never said it was you who needed one,” She told him, glancing up at his face. “You don’t need to say anything,” She added, seeing the panic in his eyes. “I know what it feels like to be lonely. It’s hard, and it can make you feel so hopeless. But you don’t have to be lonely any more Gajeel.” Her face lit up in a watery smile. “I’ll stay. I’ll stay right here until you tell me otherwise.”

Gajeel glanced down at her, a cautious vulnerability etched into his normally sharp features. “Can I… you know… _not_ tell you otherwise?”

Levy smiled. “Of course you can.”

Gajeel relaxed his grip on her, taking a small step backwards. Levy held her smile. She knew he’d stay with her for now, but she was wary. She reached out her hand and placed it on his arm.

“Well, now where am I going to sleep?” She asked, looking around the small room. Gajeel looked over at her in astonishment.

“What?!”

“ _Someone_ has to keep an eye on you to make sure you don’t run out on me,” Levy winked.

“I’d never run off on you.” Gajeel spoke so quietly Levy barely heard him, but she did. She could tell that all Gajeel needed to feel like he belonged was acceptance and maybe just a little bit of love.

And her.

She smiled.

Gajeel huffed, leaning back on his bed with his hands behind his head. The bottom of his shirt lifted so that Levy could see a thin trail of black hair disappearing into the top of his pants. “Well the thing is Squirt, I only have one bed here, and that couch is off limits. If you want to stay the night,” he glanced over at her, a devilish grin plastered to his face. “The only available spot is right here.”

He patted the bed next to him suggestively. Levy balked for a moment, only for a moment, before she caught on to what he was doing. He was challenging her.

A gentle smirk slipped into place on Levy’s mouth. She stretched her arms to the sky, rolling her shoulders and releasing the tension there. Gajeel watched her out of the corner of his eye, trying to hide his curiosity.

“Well I guess it’ll have to do,” Levy yawned, removing her headband. “It’s not perfect, but it’s something.” And with that she jumped into the bed next to him.

Gajeel started in surprise, moving so she wouldn’t land on him. “Hey!” he exclaimed, panic creeping into his features. “What’d you think you’re doing?!”

“Accepting your invitation,” Levy shrugged, smiling as she called his bluff. “Unless you want to take it back?”

Gajeel blinked at her, his face splitting into a wide grin. “No Squirt, I’m not taking it back…” He trailed, sitting up in the bed. “But if we’re sleeping now, I need to get comfortable.”

Levy’s heart skipped, but she forced herself to remain calm. “Fine by me, I wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

She saw Gajeel pull at his shirt, lifting it up over his head slowly until it bunched to the floor beside the bed. She tried her best not to stare, but it was difficult when his naked chest was right there in front of her. He stretched then as well, flexing his muscles and preparing to sleep.

He fell next to her, pulling her against him roughly like one might crush a teddy bear. Levy yelped in surprise.

“’Night Shorty,” Gajeel mumbled, triumph in his words. Levy blushed, her nose crinkling in embarrassment.

“Good night,” She whispered, snuggling into his chest. Gajeel seemed surprised at first, expecting Levy to jump up and call the whole thing off, but eventually relaxed and accepted her comfortably. It wasn’t long before he’d drifted off to sleep, a small smile on his lips.

Levy listened to Gajeel’s breathing for a long time. It slowed and deepened as he drifted off into slumber, his chest pressing against her face with each inhale. The big idiot fell asleep faster than even Natsu. She looked up at him then, his features peaceful but still hard and sharp. She traced the contours of his face with her eyes, coming to rest on the curve of his upper lip. Gajeel had always been intriguing to her, and she’d liked him for a while now, but it was unfathomable to her that he’d ever return those feelings.

Now however, she knew what his songs were about.

He hadn’t said it out loud, but Levy knew what he’d meant. The girl in his songs was her; she finally knew what his feelings were towards her and they were exactly what she wanted them to be.

Levy smiled, thinking of how even Gajeel wanted companionship when he felt like it. It was different, seeing him the way he was tonight- vulnerable and sad. She liked that she could male those feelings go away.

Without thinking, she reached up and captured his lips in hers with a kiss.

She surprised herself, and her lips froze momentarily. Gajeel stirred beneath her, seizing her stomach in fear. He was beginning to wake, but Levy couldn’t convince herself to remove her lips from his. She kissed him harder, bringing him to consciousness with her actions.

Gajeel was disoriented when he awoke; all he knew was Levy beside him and a pair of soft, supple lips against his. He put those two things together and began to kiss back, still hazy from sleep.

Her hand trailed to the side of his neck, pulling him into her. Gajeel came into full awareness then, his shock overrun by his desire to kiss her. His arms tightened around her, arching her body against his. Levy deepened the kiss, tracing the edge of his bottom lip with her tongue. Gajeel met her tongue with his, cradling it with slow, lingering circles.

The bed shifted as Gajeel rolled them, resting his large body on top of her small one. Levy could feel all the hard muscles beneath his skin, warming her all over. His breathing was quick so his chest rose and fell sharply against her own. She wound both of her arms around his neck, securing her to him.

“You know, this isn’t what I meant by stay the night…” Gajeel’s voice was husky and rough, muffled against her lips. Levy answered by gripping him tighter.

His hands were on her hips then; gripping them and pulling them flush against his body. Levy blushed, her skin heating under his touch.

Levy moved her legs out from under him, wrapping them tightly around his waist. Gajeel growled- a quiet, low sound in the back of his throat. Levy shivered.

They kissed furiously, a clash of lips and tongue. She even felt an almost imperceptible thrust of Gajeel’s hips between her legs…

And then he was off her, returning them both to their original positions. Levy took a moment to catch her breath.

“Well…” She panted, a small smile finding its way to her lips. “That was…”

“One hell of a kiss,” Gajeel finished for her, smugness coming off him in waves. Levy’s face was flushed from excitement.

They were both quiet for a long time, staring at each other in the low light. Levy smiled.

“Maybe we should wait a bit before we try that again,” She suggested, biting her lip cutely.

Gajeel grinned. “Might be a good idea, I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop next time…” He began to twirl a strand of her hair around his finger. Levy’s blush deepened, eliciting a laugh from Gajeel.

“Don’t worry,” He assured her. “Next time.”

They shared a smile before settling into each other like they were meant to be there and drifting off into a deep, restful sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

“I’m guessing if it’s between grey and green you’d prefer grey?”

He grunted.

“You should have some color you know, just something to make it stand out a bit.”

“Look Shrimp, I don’t care. I let you do this for you, not me.”

“But _I’m_ doing it for _you_ , so buck up and pick one.”

Gajeel sighed. “Fine,” He stretched out his arm and gestured vaguely to her left hand, “The green one.”

Levy grinned, “Perfect!” The abandoned grey curtain fell to the growing pile of things at her feet as she moved to hang the dark green alternative. It had only been a week since the night she’d spent with Gajeel, and since then she’d been wracking her brain to come up with ideas to make him feel more at home in the guild. The first idea she’d settled on was to redecorate his place to make it feel a bit more comfortable, but Gajeel wasn’t overly thrilled with the notion. He’d kept his mouth shut anyway, allowing Levy to do with it what she will. He couldn’t help himself; the smile she gave him was worth it.

Levy stretched to fix the straight fabric so that it fell to where she wanted it. The rest of the cottage was just about done; she’d been admiring her work proudly out of the corner of her eye. The room felt open now, and less cramped.

With Gajeel’s permission, Levy had thrown out the old couch and replaced it with a sleek, black, microfiber, square loveseat. It fit perfectly, even leaving room on either side for a small black end table and a warped metal sculpture she’d had Reedus put together for her. The kitchen she didn’t change too much; she left the fridge the way it was (matte black) and painted the cabinets to have some deep red accents on top of the grey that was already there. She’d add another curtain like the one she was currently handling when she was finished with everything else.

The bulky wooden table and chairs were replaced with dark brass ones. She’d opted for a smaller table and larger chairs to accommodate Gajeel’s size in the best possible way. To finish off the space, Levy had placed large square metal plates on the wall, leaving the original wood visible in a patchwork pattern. She’d also added a rough looking clock made from various tools (like wrenches) and last but not least, she’d replaced the lamp with a light that hung from the wall made from junk metal. The whole room was very ‘Gajeel’.

“Next we’ll attempt the bathroom,” She muttered to herself, placing a red leather pillow in the crook of the loveseat. “But that’s another project for another day.”

“Does that mean we’re done?” Gajeel groaned, boredom oozing from his very being. Levy giggled.

“Yes, we’re done. Goodness,” She sighed, plopping onto the couch. “You’re impatient today.”

“I’m impatient every day.” He sniffed. “You just always catch me when I’m vocal about it.”

Levy rolled her eyes at the big lummox. He was sprawled lazily in one of the new dining chairs, head tilted back against the wall behind him. His hair pressed up in a fan, crowning his forehead like beret. Levy held back a laugh; she knew it would go unappreciated. Gajeel didn’t like being made fun of all that much, he could dish it but he couldn’t take it. His pride was far too strong for that. Levy didn’t mind; teasing people had never been one of her strong suits, not like Natsu or even Lucy. She was more of the ear-to-listen-shoulder-to-cry-on type of friend, and she was perfectly happy with that.

Levy plopped down in a chair beside Gajeel. The new furniture dwarfed her, and yet made the room look bigger at the same time. She shook her head; no matter how many interior design books she’d read, she would never understand the mechanics behind decorating. She’d memorized tip after tip, and was competent enough to put the theory into practise, but that was the extent of her knowledge. She sighed, accepting her fate of remaining in the dark.

“… _shadows…drowning in my… listen…”_

Levy glanced over at Gajeel. His eyelids had slid shut, his breathing even. He wasn’t asleep, she knew from the lack of snoring, but he was dozing at least. His lips moved in a soft mumble, releasing only the odd word she was able to catch. She smiled, piecing together what he was singing.

“That’s from one of your songs?” She meant it as a statement, but it came out as a question. Levy had memorized every single one of the verses she’d seen on his desk, each one a jagged fragment that combined to create a small window into the secret heart of Gajeel Redfox; she wasn’t planning on forgetting even one. The one he was singing now was entitled… ‘ _Can you Hear Me?’_ if she remembered correctly, and of course she did. From what she could tell, it was written long before Fairy Tail, or even Phantom Lord, about something she couldn’t quite grasp.

“Hm,” Gajeel grunted, shifting his shoulders awkwardly. He’d stopped singing, as she knew he would, and wouldn’t start again until he’d forgotten this exchange. Gajeel’s songs were personal, Levy knew, and he didn’t give them up easily. She hoped that, one day, he’d be able to share them with her freely instead of relying on the absent-minded snippets she latched onto now.

He fell silent again, his face lax in the afternoon sun. Levy blinked as the glare from his metal nose studs caught her eye, blinding her to half the room. She tilted her head to the left, craning her neck to avoid the offensive rays. Gajeel was oblivious to the world, she noticed, relaxing peacefully in his new chair. Levy smiled; it was rare to see him like this, so seemingly content with life. She pushed up from her own chair, lithely placing herself directly in front of Gajeel. He didn’t stir, though she suspected he heard her. Placing her hands on the arms of the chair, she leaned in and captured his startled lips in a kiss.

She’d taken him off guard, but he didn’t need to think for his body to respond to her; it was like magnetism. Levy felt him shift under her, grabbing her hips and pulling her into his lap. She hummed happily, wrapping her fingers in his raven locks. His hair was smooth beneath her fingers, something she didn’t expect when she first saw him, but it was coarse enough to tangle in them helplessly. She tugged, earning a low, appreciative growl for her efforts.

Gajeel kissed hungrily; she’d taken note of the raw, unfiltered need he displayed whenever their bodies would touch. It radiated off of him in waves, often clouding her mind against anything and everything that wasn’t Gajeel. The man had such a dominating presence; he loomed whenever he walked into a room, commanding attention from everyone with eyes. She, on the other hand, was small and insignificant, slipping past most completely unnoticed. She’d used this to her advantage for months, secretly admiring the tall, dark, mysterious man she was now straddling.

She didn’t think she’d ever get enough of kissing him. Levy hadn’t kissed anyone before, so maybe her frame of reference was poor, but Gajeel’s kisses consistently left her breathless and wobbly in the knees, something she took to be a good sign. Perhaps her heart was weak to the imposing seduction of being this way with a man, but somehow she doubted it would make a difference if she were. Gajeel’s sex appeal seemed to be noticed by most of the women in the guild; he seemed to be able to swoon even the hardest of hearts without trying.

He nipped lightly at her bottom lip. It would swell, Levy knew, but she didn’t care. She accepted every nuance of his kisses without question; she craved them for exactly what they were. Her tongue darted out to trail across his lip, tasting the chill of peppermint on his breath. She mewled softly, pulling his lip between hers so she may nibble and suck on it.

Immediately, as he froze beneath her, Levy realized she’d ruined it.

“Levy,” Gajeel rasped, pulling his lips away from her. Dread filled her. She knew what was coming, so she followed his mouth, knowing what would happen if she didn’t.

“Levy,” He repeated, volume to his voice this time. She groaned, her shoulders sagging. She retreated to an upright sitting position, her hands still firmly placed in Gajeel’s hair. She eyed him with what she hoped was disapproving confusion and not childish annoyance. He held her pointed stare, his expression cautioning her against arguing. “Not yet,” He insisted, his eyes darting between them as though he were trying to explain without words. Levy didn’t need an explanation; she knew exactly what he meant.

Gajeel had been very careful about how close he let them get after the first night they were together. He kept her at arm’s length, it seemed, stopping make out sessions before they became too heated, keeping a minimum of two articles of clothing on when they slept beside each other, limiting his hands to the junior-high-acceptable regions of her body. Levy was quickly becoming frustrated with his games, wanting to be closer to him. She didn’t necessarily want to have sex right _now_ , but he didn’t even allow her to get _close._ It was maddening.

“Yes I know, I know,” She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Gajeel watched with an amused glint in his normally hardened red eyes. “Not yet, not tonight, not right now, just wait a bit, calm down, blah, blah, blah, that’s all I hear!” Levy felt like a whining teenager, but she couldn’t help herself. She was, after all, a whining teenager. “But what I don’t understand is _why?_ ”

Gajeel smirked, the features of his face lifting into a mischievous, triumphant grin. He lifted his hand from Levy’s waist, placing it roughly on the top of her head and giving it a quick pat. “All in good time, Squirt,” He insisted, putting on his best condescending, authoritative persona. “Good things come to those who wait.”

Levy let out her breath in an agonized moan, dropping her head almost painfully against Gajeel’s chest. Her forehead bounced off his muscles once before coming to rest against the soft fabric of his shirt. She huffed and puffed her frustration, her body dropping against his as the will to move bled from her. Gajeel chuckled, slipping out from under her to approach the bedroom.

“Come on Shorty,” He called, amusement and satisfaction still dripping from his voice. It sickened her, setting the line of her mouth in a perpetual frown.

“Come on where?” She grumbled, indignant. Although he was heading towards the bedroom, Levy knew the moment had passed. “I thought you wanted to stay in tonight?”

Gajeel shrugged, his shoulders rising and falling smoothly with the familiarity of the movement. “If we stay here, you might not be able to resist my charm.” He winked, earning another eye roll from the little blue-haired mage. “I’ll meet you at the guild.” His voice sported a tone of finality that left no room for argument. Levy made her annoyance known anyway, releasing breathy sighs as she gathered her things. Gajeel watched her as she prepared to leave, his eyes following her every action, until her back was turned to him and almost out the front door.

“See ya,” She muttered half-heartedly, forcing the words. Levy knew she was behaving immaturely, but she couldn’t seem to stop. Gajeel brought out the frustrations in her, the parts of herself that she knew she had but rarely felt the need to show. He was interesting and infuriating at the same time; he both calmed her and riled her to a frazzled state of irritation. She had signed up for a rollercoaster of a relationship, that much she knew for a fact.

The heavy door swung shut decisively behind her, shielding her to the tired groan of Gajeel’s muscles as he slumped against the wall, closing his eyes in bittersweet relief.

.

The guild hall was buzzing, as always, when Levy finally shouldered her way through the throng of people in the streets. Magnolia had nearly doubled in population, it seemed, and it was anyone’s guess why. Tourists from the North flocked in a protectively thick formation that admitted no one unwanted. Levy smiled at them, but in her current mood she found herself longing for the quiet streets she was used to.

The majority of people in the guild were gathered around the job request board; a new host of requests had just cropped up with the spontaneous tourism. Most were mundane tasks with little payoff, nothing overly interesting. Levy sighed. It wasn’t very often she found jobs that jogged her brain.

“Levy!”

The male voices sung in unison, trained to match each other’s pitches as they’d called her name so many times before now. Levy’s mood lifted a little as Jet and Droy made their way to her, excited expressions on their face at the sight of her without Gajeel.

“Hey guys,” She grinned, clasping her hands behind her back. The boys led her to a table they’d been saving with Macao. The older man had his fist clenched around a glass mug of ale, sipping away at it as quickly as his body would let him. Lately he’d been complaining of headaches when he drank, and he’d been teased mercilessly by the younger drinkers in the guild. Now he was doing everything in his power to prove he was still a drinking man.

“Hello there Levy,” Macao hicced. She giggled, knowing he must’ve had a few already. Drunken Macao always made for a few good laughs. “What brings you to the guild so late at night?”

“It’s three thirty in the afternoon,” She corrected politely, taking a seat opposite Droy. The group burst into fits at Macao’s confused expression, quieting only when they each had drinks of their own. Levy cherished these moments with her friends, though she found herself taking them for granted sometimes. With Gajeel pulling away from her so freely, she wondered if it would be long before others started doing the same.

“What’s on your mind, Levy?”

She looked up to catch Jet staring at her with a quirked eyebrow. She forced a laugh, shaking herself from her reverie.

“Nothing really,” She insisted, dismissing his concerned looks. “I’m fine, I was just thinking about girl stuff.” She hoped the mention of forbidden territory would deter him from prodding further. Luckily, her suspicion had been right and Jet backed off immediately with a shimmering blush.

The group chatted for a while, discussing the latest gossip they’d heard in the guild. No one outside of Lucy knew about Levy and Gajeel’s relationship, if that’s what it was. Come to think of it, they’d never really defined exactly what they were. Levy frowned, the aftertaste of beer thick on her tongue. She took another small sip, not even halfway through her first while Jet and Droy were on their third since she’d arrived.

“Are Natsu and Lucy a thing yet?” Macao exclaimed suddenly, his voice carrying clear across the hall in his drunken stupor. Levy shushed him hurriedly, scanning the room for her friend. Not seeing her, she relaxed her shoulders.

“No,” She answered with a laugh. “And Natsu’s so stubborn I doubt they ever will at this rate.”

“Maybe someone should give them a push,” Macao grumbled, slurring his speech. “It’s like a damn soap opera in this place. Back when I was a kid you just went up to a gal and gave her a big ol’ smack on the lips. If she hit you, she was a keeper.”

Levy laughed wholeheartedly. Jet and Droy began exchanging possible outcomes for Macao’s suggestion, and debating whether or not it’d work nowadays. Levy shook her head at them.

The job board had cleared out a little now and she could see there were still large volumes of printed advertisements coloring the cork. Something about the arrangement seemed familiar to her in an odd way. She contemplated going over to look for herself, maybe something would catch her eye.

“Thinking about taking a job?” The boys’ eyes lit up like the night sky. Levy smiled, nodding.

“Yeah, I was thinking about it. Not sure what kind of job I want though,” She pushed her chair out and stood, straightening her dress in the process. “But it doesn’t hurt to go check it out, I think.”

Jet and Droy jumped up excitedly. “Yeah, a job sounds fun! Let’s go see what’s available.”

The three made their way to the board, Levy periodically glancing over her shoulder at the door. Gajeel hadn’t shown up yet, which worried her ever so slightly. Gajeel was a large man, and a more than capable fighter. He wouldn’t have any trouble by himself, but concern gnawed at her insides regardless.

Jet and Droy were peering over the shoulders of others, trying to get a good look on Levy’s behalf. She hung back a little, only catching bits and pieces of postings, none of which looked interesting enough to investigate further. Still, something about the words she caught struck the familiarity she’d been feeling earlier. She sought out the other members of Shadow Gear; Droy had found one he was looking over closely, leading Levy to believe he was interested in it. She worried a little; Droy’s interests lay mainly in food related missions, ones Levy and Jet didn’t particularly enjoy. Still, it was better than the transportation theme Jet had going for him. Levy shook her head.

“Looking for a job, Levy?”

The cheerful chirp could belong to no one but Mira. Levy nodded at the white-haired mage, attempting enthusiasm. Mira was holding a tray of drinks and walking in the direction of Cana’s table. Levy noted that only Cana was at that table, though Mira was sporting several drinks. It was a miracle she hadn’t gotten a serious case of alcohol poisoning.

“I was thinking about it,” Levy admitted, chewing her lip. “But I don’t know. Maybe I just don’t have the energy,” She laughed. The front door of the guild swung open and Levy couldn’t stop herself from checking, only to find Gray waltzing in with Juvia in tow. She tried to hide the dejected fall of her facial expression. Mira cocked a shapely brow.

“Waiting for someone?” She asked; he voice seemed nonchalant, to the uninformed observer, but Levy knew better. She caught the sly tilt to Mira’s hip, the ever-so-subtle dip in her voice. Levy blushed furiously.

“No,” She insisted, tearing her gaze away from the closing door. Mira looked unconvinced, but didn’t press the matter. Levy silently thanked her lucky stars.

Levy knew it was perfectly clear to most of the girls in the guild how she felt about Gajeel. It’s not like she was renowned for her subtlety. She caught Lucy’s wink every time Gajeel did something that made Levy stare and blush. Erza had teased her several times about the crush, but not once had Levy admitted it to anyone but herself, Lucy, and now Gajeel. She wasn’t ready to face the onslaught of attention from the guild just yet.

“Well, it just so happens that the Master left me something for you today.” Mira continued, changing topics smoothly. She placed the tray down on the nearest table, slinging her dish towel over her shoulder. “I’ll be right back!”

Levy watched her leave, wondering what in Fiore Makarov could possibly have for her. Jet and Droy had crowded around a decidedly interesting job posting and were trying to wave Levy over to look at it. She held up a finger, signalling them to wait. They looked miffed, but settled in to wait for a few moments. Mira returned promptly, shoving a sheet of paper towards Levy.

“Here it is!” She sang, letting it rest in Levy’s hands. There was a small watermark in the top left corner, which Mira quickly apologised for. “Sorry, I put a mug on it by mistake.”

The paper was clearly a job posting, Levy noted, for somewhere up North. She read it over carefully, all the while keeping in mind that the Master had left it for her specifically. The ad was for a bandit on the loose in a rural community near her hometown of Nessle, a tiny village whose main exports were workers. For a moment, she thought that was why the Master had put aside this task specifically for her, but she found herself second-guessing. Makarov would’ve had a better reason than that.

The bandit, according to the post, was highly dangerous and more than just a little persuasive. He had a large following and went by many names. He was hard to pinpoint, and that’s why the village was requesting help from a wizarding guild as opposed to the local law enforcement. Levy, once again, felt a tug of familiarity.

“I’ll let you look over it for a while,” Mira smiled, picking up her tray once again. “Makarov wrote something on the back there too, in case you didn’t notice.”

Levy nodded curtly. She didn’t mean to be rude, she was just deep in thought. She almost missed the tiny detail Mira had thrown in about Makarov’s note, but luckily she heard the tail end of it. Flipping the paper over, Levy’s eyes took in the tall, slanted handwriting of the guild master and her heart held still in her chest.

_It’s Kale!_

Levy’s fingers went cold. Her shaking grip on the ad tightened so fiercely she was afraid she’d tear the paper in half with the violence of her tremors. The room slowly began to fade into buzzing background noise as she read the message over and over again, burning it into the forefront of her mind.

_It’s Kale!_

She could hardly believe what she saw. The chill had spread from her fingers to the rest of her body, wracking her with inconsolable shakes. Finally the pieces began to fit together, and the sense of familiarity clicked with an inner knowledge that crashed over her consciousness like a tidal wave. The force of it nearly knocked her over.

The ‘tourists’, the posts, the sense of foreboding… she knew it all.

Levy whirled suddenly, shoving her fellow mages out of her way as she set herself in front of the job board. She heard many annoyed shouts of protest, but they faded to the part of her brain that stored insignificant pieces of information until they could be discarded. Jet and Droy were a distant memory, the drinking and gossip with Macao all but forgotten.

This was all that mattered now.

Before her were postings after postings, all ones she had seen time and time again: kidnapping, theft, theft, vandalism, guard duty, kidnapping, vandalism, theft, theft, guard duty, vandalism, vandalism, kidnapping, kidnapping, kidnapping, kidnapping, kidnapping, kidnapping, kid-

Levy wrenched her eyes away from the glaring board before her. Wizards parted to let her through as she stumbled away, not heading towards anything in particular but needing to get away from _that_. Her breath was coming in short rasps, barrelling through her chest like gun shots. Nausea had begun to rise in her stomach, grotesquely reminiscent of a time when she felt like this on the regular. The bitter taste of bile was strong in her throat, and maybe it was just the aftereffect of the beer, but she knew she was about to vomit.

“Levy-”

Catching the nearest table for balance, Levy bolted. She made a sudden burst for the door, ignoring the concerned cries that followed her. She needed out. She needed to run. She needed this to go _away._

She reached out as she came closer to the door, preparing to throw it open no matter whom she might hit, but the door opened for her as someone came in, only just side-stepping in time to avoid being thrown over by the force of Levy’s escape. She barely registered the tall, looming figure that grunted indignantly as she tore by him, barely caught the fearful tinge to his gruff voice as he called her name in surprise, before she was gone.

_It’s Kale!_

The words echoed in her heart, driving her legs though they ached with the suddenness of her run. The ad was still clenched firmly in her hand, the only thing anchoring her to reality. Without it, she would’ve slipped into the recurring nightmare that was _that man._

On she ran.


	3. Chapter 3

_“Just one more week, please”_

_“Take it, take anything you want…except-”_

_“No, no please-”_

_“LEVY!”_

Levy sat bolt upright, smashing her forehead off of a metal pole. She shrieked in combined surprise and agony, cradling her newly formed bruise in her shaking palms. The first sensation she’d registered was pain, quickly followed by bone-chilling cold. The shaking spread from her hands to her shoulders, wracking her body with shivers. Why was it so _cold_?

She managed to peel her eyes open against the pounding in her head, blinking to focus her vision. It was dark out, the kind of dark that only befell the world in the dead of night. Levy was struck with confusion, but she tried her best not to succumb to panic. Looking around, she managed a vague idea of where she had ended up.

She was on a merry go round in a park far away from both the guild and her home. It wasn’t one of the ones with fancy metal horses and shining lights, but a simple red thing powered by the legs of little children, running in circles while gripping one of the rusted bars before jumping on at the last second. The metal around her was damp- had it rained?

The park, she realised, was completely empty. _Idiot,_ she mentally slapped, _Of course it’s empty._ This area of town was quiet at the best of times, let alone when the moon was high in the sky and the wind whistled hauntingly through the barren trees. She shuddered, pulling at her clothing to bring it tighter around her body. She was still cold, and the dampness had begun to sink into her skin. Why was she here, of all places?

The memories hit her like a wall. The message board, the job request, Makarov’s note-

A flicker of movement to her right caught her eye. Her vision zeroed in on a sheet of wet, crumpled paper stuck in the metal components of the merry go round. It fluttered in the breeze, taunting her with the simplicity of the thing.

_Kale_

After all this time, here he was again- a black, thunderous cloud in the sky blocking her from the sun. She’d gone so long without even thinking the name, and to have it thrown at her so suddenly… it was almost too much for her.

“Stop it Levy,” She whispered to herself, chiding her childish instincts. She wasn’t a young girl anymore; she should stop thinking about him as though she were. The paper glared at her, flashing his name in uneven intervals. Kale. Kale Demionate. The name still caused a tortured stir in her stomach.

Biting her lip, Levy suddenly kicked wildly at the paper, a surge of anger and hurt driving her to an outburst. The heel of her shoe caught the ad, muddying it but not removing it from her sight. She kicked again, less angrily, and even less successfully. She missed entirely this time, smacking her foot off the metal below. She yelped in pain.

“Would you cut that out? You’re making a racket.”

Levy nearly screamed. She threw herself backwards, whipping around to see what manner of vile, untrustworthy trash made an abandoned playground part of their nightly rounds. Instead, she caught sight of someone quite the opposite of the lurking, greasy individual she’d been picturing.

“Gajeel?” She exclaimed in surprise. The force of her movement had caused the merry go round to spin, carrying her away from the man sprawled on the gravel beside her. He looked as though he’d been asleep, his body level with the ground just below the edge of the ride, hiding him from her sight until he’d sat up. “What’re you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same question,” He grunted; the annoyance in his voice was palpable. His muscles looked stiff and sore from sleeping on the ground. She didn’t know how long either of them had been there, but she imagined it was a while. “Why’d you tear off like a bat out of hell earlier?”

Levy turned her head away. She remembered everything now- her reaction to the job posting had been less than respectable. She’d panicked and ran, no doubt leaving her friends staring after her with concern and confusion. Guilt tugged at her heart.

“I’m sorry,” She whispered, wringing her hands together nervously. It was a tick she developed a long time ago, something she did when she felt any form of negative emotion. “I don’t know what happened.”

“Bull shit,” He sniffed, rolling his shoulders. Levy eyed him in mock surprise. She’d never been particularly good at lying, but she didn’t think Gajeel had ever been particularly perceptive, so she thought for a moment she may be able to get away with it. She’d been wrong.

“I’d rather not talk about it,” She settled on instead, drawing her knees up to her chin. She wrapped her shaking arms around them, trying to preserve what little body heat she had left. “How did you find me? How long have we been out here?”

“You tore past me when you ran out of the guild,” Gajeel rolled his eyes, “Would’ve knocked me over if you weren’t so short. Been here for about eight hours. How you could sleep for so long on that rickety thing I’ll never know.”

Levy thought about that for a moment. It had been just before four when she left the guild, and eight hours later would make it midnight, or around there. The guilt she’d been feeling intensified. Gajeel had sat on the ground with her for eight hours, and she hadn’t even known. “You followed me?” She whispered.

“Well I wasn’t about to let you go running off by yourself,” He grunted, shifting uncomfortably. She imagined it was hard for him to admit he’d done it out of concern for her; Gajeel was not an openly sentimental man. She smiled to herself. “You’re pretty small, Squirt, could get hurt out here on your own.”

“How exactly did you follow me?” Levy pressed, not recalling seeing Gajeel when she’d settled into her spot at the park. He could’ve been hiding, she guessed, but it’s not like Gajeel to sneak. He was usually very up front.

“I followed your scent,” He pointed to his nose. In that moment he reminded her a little of Natsu- proud at his heightened dragon slayer senses. She smiled to herself.

“Really?” Her spirits began to lift a little, her mind slowly forgetting the pain she’d been feeling. “I have my own scent?”

“Everyone has their own scent, Shorty,” Gajeel chuckled condescendingly, eying her with an expression she took to mean ‘you should’ve known that’. She couldn’t help but blush.

“Oh yeah…” Levy bit her lip. “Well… what do I smell like?”

There was a short silence where neither of them said anything. The night air shifted around them, warmer now, somehow. Levy’s heart had begun to flutter lightly in anticipation of Gajeel’s response, like a school girl’s. The moon peaked from behind a passing cloud, illuminating the sky above for a brief moment.

“You smell like…” Gajeel began suddenly, startling her. She hadn’t actually expected an answer. “Daisies… and dusty books.”

Levy blinked at him, her eyes wide with an expression Gajeel couldn’t place. Suddenly her cheeks puffed and her lips pursed, her face straining against an outburst she could only fight for so long. Gajeel’s cheeks had flushed the lightest shade of pink, deciding he should’ve just kept his mouth shut, when Levy’s resolve gave way and she burst into a fit of giggles.

“So, you followed the scent of daisies and dusty books to find me here?” She asked, amused. Something about the image was funny to her, though she couldn’t explain why. Maybe it was the association of Gajeel and something as delicate as a daisy, or maybe it was just hearing him identify any kind of flower. Either way, she had trouble containing herself.

“Well I don’t have to, next time,” Gajeel grunted, folding his arms indignantly. She could still see the light blush on his cheeks and she saved the image in her brain endearingly. She rarely saw Gajeel vary his emotional responses. Levy’s chuckles subsided; she began to pick absently at her shoe.

“Thank you,” She said eventually, turning her head to face him. She shot him a grateful smile, ignoring the tense set of his shoulders. “I feel better knowing you were here with me the whole time.”

A silence fell over the pair, filled only by the gentle whispers of the wind passing through the trees. Levy cast her eyes to the ground, outlining natural patterns in the jagged rock. In the quiet, her mind began to wander.

She was trying to think of nothing, to suppress the turmoil swirling in her heart. A feeling she’d locked away long ago was fighting its way to the surface and she would trade anything to stop it. The joy she found in being with Gajeel was only a temporary fix, and now that silence had settled between them the band aid was quickly peeling.

“You’ll tell me, eventually,” Gajeel muttered abruptly, confidence saturating his tone. She glanced up in surprise. “What’s going on, I mean.” Understanding dawning, Levy released an involuntary hollow chuckle, raising her eyebrow at him.

“Oh yeah? What makes you so sure?” She scoffed. Gajeel gave her a dubious look.

“You’re you. You’ll want to talk about it.” It was all the explanation he gave. Levy closed her mouth, choosing not to argue. She knew he was right; once she’d settled her thoughts she would want to talk about it, get everything off her chest. It was what made her feel better, gave her closure. Communication was her anchor to sanity. Still…

Kale was a different story. He was a part of her past she’d done very well to forget, until now.

A great shudder surged through her then, visible to Gajeel even in the dark of night.

“Damnit Levy,” He cursed, spinning the merry go round until she was closer to him. Levy gasped, clutching the rail for dear life as she was jerked in a circle, stopping suddenly with Gajeel’s hand on her back. He placed himself awkwardly on the ride beside her, draping his large body over hers. “You’re gonna catch a cold and die out here! Why’d you run to the park anyhow?”

Levy didn’t answer, instead distracting herself with the realisation of just _how_ cold she was. It hadn’t really hit her before, her thoughts lost in the drama unfolding in her mind. Gajeel tried to warm her now, his rough hands creating friction against the chilled flesh of her arms. She sighed and leaned into the warmth, ignoring the exasperated huffs coming from him.

“We should get you home,” He insisted once the feeling had returned to Levy’s hands. She nodded mutely, reaching for Gajeel to help her up. As he moved, she once again caught sight of the thing that had started this mess, the simple flyer caught in the ride next to her. Anger curled in the pit of her stomach and in that moment she wanted nothing more than to burn the damn thing. What had Makarov been thinking? What was this supposed to mean to her, other than heartache and painful memories?

Without really thinking about what she was doing, she began to walk. Gajeel wasn’t next to her, but she didn’t care. She felt an overwhelming need to go- to move.

She hadn’t taken more than three steps when Gajeel’s voice called after her, stopping her in her tracks.

“Is this yours?”

Levy half turned; as she once again saw the job posting crumpled in his hand, her anger suddenly subsided to something else. Something had clicked in her mind. Perhaps she shouldn’t be thinking about the past and what the flyer meant; instead she should be thinking about _why_ Makarov had given it to her.

What did he want her to do?

The Master was a smart man. He wouldn’t shove this job posting toward Levy if he didn’t have a reason. Maybe he thought she’d be interested in it, but maybe not. Logically speaking, giving her this job posting should mean that he wanted her to-

The idea evoked nausea in her gut. She shook her head. No, Makarov wouldn’t want her to-

But then again, maybe-

She stopped. No. She couldn’t-

“Levy?”

Gajeel spoke, startling her out of her internal monologue. He was staring at her expectantly, brandishing the paper in annoyance. Levy realised she’d been standing there for several minutes, her mouth firmly shut. “Well?” He insisted, “Is it yours?”

Levy blushed, shook her head quickly, and turned away from him.

“No,” She whispered, “it’s not.”

.

_Kale Demionate._

Gajeel hadn’t heard that name in a long time, well before he joined Fairy Tail. He didn’t personally know the guy, but he’d heard of him on a semi-regular basis from both clients and fellow guild members. Kale was a legend amongst dark guilds everywhere, Phantom Lord included.

Now Gajeel seemed to be alone in his knowledge, at least amongst his new crowd; the other two useless members of Shadow Gear had been more baffled than he was when he’d asked why his girl- why Levy- was running full tilt out the door.

When Gajeel had entered the guild the previous day looking to meet up with her, he was more than a little surprised to see Levy barrelling into the street. The girl was _fast_ , he’d give her that. She was like a little rabbit, darting between the tourists like lightning. He was damn confused, to put it lightly. That was when he had turned to Dumb and Dumber for input.

_“Why the hell do_ you _care?”_

Gajeel mentally slapped himself. He should’ve known better than to ask them; they’d been about as helpful as a rock doing taxes. It did bring up an interesting thought to him, though:

Why _did_ he care?

Gajeel had never cared about much, in truth, but Levy had always been different. Even when he’d been with Phantom, something about the mage had sparked his interest. He shuddered, though not visibly to anyone. Somehow Levy had wedged her way into his heart, like a determined splinter: kindness, spunk, height, the whole package. Now, that package included secrets.

From what he remembered, Kale was a nasty guy. What the hell did he have to do with _Levy_ , of all people?

He should’ve just gone after her right away- the girl was an idiot when she was emotional. She’d do stupid things, and get herself hurt, and he couldn’t let that happen. Damn that girl; she drew out the deeply buried sense of responsibility in him.

Luckily, she hadn’t gotten too far when he did decide to go after her. She was easy to track down, despite her size.

_Of all the fucking places,_ He’d thought when he found her, curled into a ball on the merry go round, her eyes pink and swollen from crying. Her breathing had still been ragged, the aftereffects of her distress present even in sleep. He’d shaken his head at her, but knew if he woke her she’d just be upset. Instead, he picked a spot on the ground and settled in to wait.

He’d used that time to remember everything he could about Kale Demionate. Admittedly, his reserve of information was nearly dry. Gajeel didn’t care to think much of his days with Phantom Lord, especially now that Levy seemed to be becoming a permanent part of his life, for obvious reasons.

He’d remembered a client who’d complained about a crime lord named Kale who’d kidnapped one of their family members. The woman had said Kale tormented their family for years, collecting unfair taxes and debts, until they could no longer keep up and he’d taken her child instead. Jose had laughed and turned the woman away.

Gajeel had laughed too, at the time, but now the exchange left a bad taste in his mouth. Maybe it was the thought of Levy being involved with such a ruthless individual, or maybe it was that he’d genuinely changed, but now he felt that, if he had his time back, he would’ve helped that woman.

Before Gajeel could think on it too much, he was being startled awake by a crash next to him. Levy was awake now, he knew from the whines of pain, but he hadn’t realised he’d fallen asleep himself until that moment. What time was it?

She didn’t talk much when he’d announced himself; she wasn’t acting like herself. He had decided not to push her, but it was a difficult task. Gajeel was pushy by nature.

Even when he brought her home she was quiet. She’d changed her clothes, crawled into bed, and feigned sleep until he’d fallen into slumber himself. Gajeel could tell she was deep in thought and didn’t want to talk about it, but it was annoying as hell being left in the dark. Patience was never one of his strong suits.

Now he was hoping he’d finally get some of the answers he longed for. Levy had woken in a vastly different mood from the night before, a weird sense of resolve radiating from her. He’d been itching to ask her then and there, but she had silenced him with promises of explanations at the guild.

“Meet me at the guild in twenty,” She’d insisted. “I promise I’ll explain everything then.”

And she’d left.

So he waited. He waited until the specified time and, as soon as it hit, he charged for the guild. No more fucking waiting, he was dying to know what was going on in that little blue head of hers- What was bothering her, what had happened last night, and how the hell was she involved with Kale?

Gajeel’s perceptiveness was sub-par, but Levy’s had always intimidated him. He felt like nothing was ever really hidden while she was around. Gajeel liked to keep to himself, but with Levy he found that nearly impossible. On top of that, her thoughts were difficult to pinpoint. She wore her emotions on her sleeve, but her mind was a different place. It was complex, and he couldn’t even begin to decipher it.

So he began to wonder: had she noticed him shove the damp, yellowing flyer into the back pocket of his pants?

The guild was loud and busy, as per usual. He didn’t necessarily dislike being there, but it wasn’t his favorite place in the world. Gajeel looked to the table where Levy usually sat with the two boneheads, but found it vacant. At least, vacant of Levy. Jet and Droy were there, talking animatedly amongst themselves. Gajeel scanned the room; the only blue head he saw was that of Juvia’s. No Levy to be found.

What the hell?

“Hey,” Jet and Droy looked up as Gajeel approached them. He could tell they weren’t overly fond of him, and he couldn’t really blame them. Not only was the feeling mutual, but he’d fucked them up pretty bad- it was amazing to him that Levy had forgiven him, he didn’t expect these guys to.

“What do you want?” Jet snapped. Gajeel fought down the urge to snarl. His dislike for these two hadn’t diminished since joining the guild, though it had nothing to do with their past. They were obnoxious and they fawned over Levy like dogs. It was sickening.

“Have you seen Levy?” He asked. Asking them for help left a sour taste in his mouth, but he was desperate for answers and would do anything he needed to at this point. Jet and Droy shared a look, one Gajeel didn’t like.

“You haven’t seen her?” Droy cocked an eyebrow.

“If I’d seen her, do you think I’d be asking you?” Gajeel snapped. Jet’s expression darkened in annoyance. Droy laid a hand on his partner’s arm, settling him. Gajeel smirked.

“She was in here a little while ago,” Droy answered, nodding to the front door. “She said she was leaving to meet you. Left about ten minutes ago.”

A solid lump began to form in Gajeel’s stomach. He didn’t feel it necessary to inform them she said she’d meet him here, because it was none of their business, but never the less he was tempted. Levy had told him they’d meet at the hall, and she’d told them she was going to his place. Something didn’t add up, and it was beginning to scare him.

“So she left,” Gajeel confirmed. Droy nodded, ignoring Jet’s grumbles.

“She seemed a little off,” Droy admitted uneasily, “Not herself.”

“What do you mean, ‘not herself’?” He pressed. Droy fidgeted beneath Gajeel’s piercing stare.

“She was a bit anxious,” He elaborated, stumbling over his words. Every breath he glanced over at Jet, almost like he was asking permission to continue. Gajeel fought the urge to roll his eyes. “We just thought she was still shaken from yesterday. The Master told us-”

A resounding slap filled the space around them.

“Shut up, Droy!”

Jet was suddenly standing, his arms rigidly forcing his palms flat against the rough, wooden tabletop. Droy looked at him wearily from the corner of his eye, signalling him with the slightest shake of his head.

“Why should we have to tell him anything about Levy?” Jet snapped. Gajeel’s stomach tightened in response, his nerves tingling with anger. This was exactly what he hated about Jet and Droy- the idiots acted like they owned Levy, like they had any control over what she did or who she talked to. There were times when Gajeel wondered if they even thought of her as a person, and the doubt secured his hate for them. The simplest word from either of them could ignite his fury like a firecracker, as it was now.

“It’s none of his business,” Jet insisted angrily. “He has no right to Levy.”

“Neither do you,” Gajeel growled, not realising he was speaking until the words had slipped through his teeth. Jet eyed him venomously, bracing his shoulders against the verbal war that was about to take place. “And if you know something that could help find Levy, I suggest you share with the class.”

“You think you can just come waltzing in here, pretending to be a changed man, and lay claim over Levy!”

“I haven’t _claimed_ Levy,” Gajeel spat. “She’s a person, not property, I couldn’t claim her if I wanted to!”

“Well you must’ve done something,” Jet slammed his fist against the table again, causing a nearby glass to topple, “for her to be following you around like nothing’s happened! Don’t forget what you did to us, what you did to her-”

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten,” Gajeel felt his heart rate increase the way it always does before a fight. His anger was surging, ringing through his ears like the relentless toll of church bells. “I’ll never forget, but if Levy chooses to then I won’t stop her!”

“Well maybe someone s _hould_ stop her!”

“If you lay a hand on her-”

“What, you mean like you did?”

“You fucking little-”

“Guys!” Droy stood as well, raising his voice to impressive volumes. Gajeel glanced at him, at the worried look on his face, and returned his gaze reluctantly to Jet. The two men were tense, like statues, the only lively thing about them was the flaring anger beneath their skin.

“Cut it out, seriously,” Droy insisted. “We may not understand Levy’s decision, but it’s hers to make.” He looked at Jet. “Besides, we have more important things going on right now: Levy might be missing. Clearly Gajeel cares about her in some way, he wouldn’t be acting this way if he didn’t. So maybe we should trust Levy’s judgement on this one before we lose her as a friend, and possibly literally.”

Jet snorted, but seemed to calm minutely. The heat of the moment had passed, and although they had accumulated many stares, the situation began to diffuse. Gajeel rolled his shoulders to loosen the tension from them.

“You guys were looking for Levy?”

The trio turned at once, all staring at a little blonde haired wizard who’d appeared out of nowhere with Natsu in tow. Happy was floating behind Lucy, complaining about his hunger. From what Gajeel could tell, they’d just come back from a mission.

Gajeel groaned inwardly. It seemed all the people he’d tortured in Phantom were popping up today. He’d made his peace with the blonde, and it seemed she had with him as well, but today everything was being thrown back in his face, and the sight of her only fed the dirty looks he was receiving from Jet. This whole place was pissing him off.

“Yeah, have you seen her?” Jet and Droy had completely shifted moods, addressing Lucy with the utmost respect. There was urgency to their voices now, and Gajeel had to commend them for the thickness of their worry. He folded his arms, but directed all of his attention to Lucy.

“She was walking up the road, heading north I think,” She shrugged, graciously accepting a drink that Natsu handed her. “Had a backpack with her; I just assumed she was going on a job.”

Gajeel could almost feel the color drain from his face. North? _Job?_ He reached into his back pocket and nearly tore the flyer with his quickly numbing fingers. North. Levy was heading north.

_Fuck_

Gajeel began to act on instinct. He heard the two idiots calling to him as he burst through the doors again, as he had last night, a nauseating sense of deja vu hitting him like a brick wall. Levy had duped them- while they were arguing over her intended whereabouts, and everything else as she no doubt knew, she was going after Kale. He chuckled a little to himself, admiring her spunk. Levy certainly made up for her small size in other ways.

This he knew for certain: Levy was connected to Kale, a man he knew to be incredibly famous and dangerous. She’d gone out of her way to ensure no one found out about her plan until it was safely in motion. She hadn’t told anyone how she was connected to Kale, including him. And now, she was going after him alone.

Gajeel smirked, catching the faint smell of daisies and dusty books on the cold breeze. _At least,_ he thought, _that’s what she thinks._


	4. Chapter 4

Levy yelped as she nearly tumbled over a misplaced stone in the narrow path before her.

“Darn,” She muttered, shifting to the side so one of her feet touched the grass while the other paced along happily through the gravel. She’d been walking for almost an hour with no sign of life outside of Magnolia for nearly half that time. It was unsettling, traversing an empty road alone even during the day, but that was the choice she’d made and now she would have to live with it. She supposed she didn’t _have_ to be alone (she remembered Gajeel, no doubt confused and angry, at the guild and felt a pang of regret) but this was her business, and hers alone.

Sometime during the night she’d made her decision to go. Kale could no longer be a shadow stalking her for the rest of her life- she wouldn’t let him. He’d caused her enough trouble as it was, and she was reaching her limits. Levy had to surpass this point in her life; the only problem was at first she didn’t know how to do this. She’d tried forgetting the past, she’d tried burying it, but neither was very effective. It had hit her while she was curled into Gajeel’s safe embrace that her last option was to face him.

The Master had known before she did, as shown by his scribbled message and instructions to Mirajane. Makarov knew that to overcome this obstacle, Levy would have to be thrown against it full force. It had been a difficult thing to accept, at first, but in her heart she knew he was right. Levy had to take the job.

The sun was still high above her, but had set just enough to disturb her eyes. She blinked against the brightness, ducking her head to fix the problem. If Gajeel were here, she would just walk in his large shadow, but she didn’t have that option now. Levy shook her head to clear her thoughts; she couldn’t be thinking of him now. She had to come up with a plan.

Coming face to face with Kale wouldn’t be easy for her, but she’d known that before she’d even considered going after him. The satisfaction of capturing him, of proving her capability to him, was what had convinced her. She thought of sealing him away, of stopping him from hurting anyone else, of getting _back at him_ , and the feelings that coursed through her were alarming.

She suddenly noticed a cold dampness on the bottom of her right foot and realised she’d torn her shoe.

“Oh you’ve got to be kidding!” She exclaimed in a huff, plopping onto the grass to attempt to fix her shoe. She pulled it off and poked her finger through the offending hole, sighing in defeat as she realised there was fabric missing. She would need new ones.

“You’re seriously hopeless, Shrimp,”

Levy fumbled wildly with her shoe, almost dropping it. Whirling, she saw Gajeel standing a few feet behind her, his large frame silhouetted by the setting sun. He had his arm crossed, his weight shifted to one hip, the perfect picture of arrogance.

“W-what are you doing here?” Levy demanded, placing her hands on her hips. She tried to look angry and intimidating, but the effect was lost as she lay on the ground with one shoe on and the other broken in the grass.

“Coming with you,” Gajeel answered shortly, moving forward the few paces that separated them. He gripped her hand and pulled her to her feet abruptly, helping her steady herself before placing her broken shoe squarely in her palm. “Unless you have a spare, you’ll make do.”

Levy blinked at him. “How did you find me?” She asked, bewildered. Gajeel chuckled.

“Same way I found you last night,” He pointed to his nose. “And you left this:” He pulled out the flyer from his pants’ pocket and showed it to her. Levy balked.

“I thought you left that at the park…” She whispered, knowing as the words left her mouth that she didn’t really mean that. Somehow Levy had known Gajeel wouldn’t just leave the ad there… she’d been stupid to think otherwise.

“It’s getting dark,” Gajeel said suddenly. “We won’t make it to… Nessle, is it? We won’t make it there before nightfall. We should set up camp.”

“Wait, ‘we’?” Levy repeated, glaringly defiantly up at Gajeel. “There’s no ‘we’, this is my mission. I left you home for a reason.”

“And I followed you for a reason,” He huffed. “I’m not letting you do this alone.”

“I don’t need your permission,” Levy folded her arms across her chest, puffing her cheeks. Gajeel almost laughed.

“You’re right, that’s not what I meant,” He corrected, ruffling her hair, “I mean I’m joining you, and you can’t stop me any more than I can stop you. So we’re both going to shut up and accept it, ok?”

Levy held her glare for a long time, assessing her position in the matter. Gajeel was much larger than her, there was no way she could force him to leave physically, and his stubbornness was famous amongst the guild, she couldn’t convince him to leave. Arguing with him would be a waste of her time, and she wanted to get this done as quickly as possible. It appeared she was stuck.

Not to mention, she’d forgotten that he battle wouldn’t be with _just_ Kale, she’d need some sort of backup.

Finally, she sighed.

“Alright,” She rolled her eyes, “Let’s set up camp.”

.

“So who’s Kale?”

Levy dropped the firewood she’d been carrying.

Her and Gajeel had gone away from the trail to the shelter of the trees, pitched a tent, and started a fire. Luckily Gajeel had brought some food with him, as Levy had stupidly forgotten, and now they were waiting for it to cook over their little flame.

Gajeel had been fairly quiet up until this point in time about the mission, mainly berating her for thinking that she would be able to escape without being found. She ignored most of his taunts, focussing instead on the work at hand.

But now…

“Why do you want to know?” She asked breezily, gathering the fallen sticks.

“Well if we’re going after the guy, I’d like to know a bit about him.” Gajeel’s tone was condescending, but affectionately so. Levy stuck her tongue out at him.

“Maybe you should’ve done some research,” Levy criticized, “instead of running out here full tilt, unprepared.”

“I’m doing research now,” He insisted. “So, are you going to tell me why you ran off without a word to anyone, to go after a guy none of us have ever heard of before?” There was a little white lie tucked into his question, but Gajeel felt it necessary and harmless. What good would it do for Levy to know he’d heard of her demon?

She was quiet for a short time after his insistence. Levy had considered telling Gajeel everything when she returned to Magnolia, but she knew now that he’d joined her it was unrealistic dream. Of course he would need to know before then, so what better time than the present?

“Kale Demionate,” Levy blurted, shaking her head suddenly. She’d meant to start out with a smooth introduction, but his name was all that had come out. Gajeel eyed her expectantly, his studded brow raised impatiently. “Sorry,” She mumbled, “His name is Kale Demionate, a crime lord from my home town.”

“An evil guild leader?” Gajeel pressed, trying to sound calm but coming off bored. In truth, his stomach was twisting in anxiety.

“Not exactly,” Levy continued, choosing her words carefully. “He ran a large operation up north, but it wasn’t a guild. It was… bigger than that.”

The firewood popped startlingly in the pit beside them. Levy didn’t seem to notice.

“Kale was… Kale _is_ a monster. His crime ring included a bunch of towns in one area; Nessle was one of them. He had complete control over the area, like a dictator. My family and I lived there for years, all the while under Kale’s thumb.

“He would tax us mercilessly,” Levy spat, pulling her knees to her chest protectively. “My dad, he worked in a paper mill on the east side of town. He’d leave with his day’s salary, and before he made it home 90% of it would be gone. We barely had enough to survive, but somehow we managed for almost seven years.

“Every year Kale’s strength and influence increased, and every year he got bolder and bolder. He had so many people working for him that it was almost impossible to pin him to anything, so he didn’t even have to factor the law into the equation anymore. He had his hand in everything from drug trafficking to murder.

“I remember one day I was visiting a nearby village to hopefully find food at a cheaper price than what Kale was selling it for. I was unsuccessful, because Kale was ruling there too, but I did learn something interesting while I was there. People were whispering about how Kale was-”

Levy’s voice caught in her throat, pausing her monotone recollection of her youth. She risked a glance at Gajeel and immediately regretted it. She couldn’t read the expression on his face, but she knew it wasn’t his usual arrogance.

“Well,” She took a deep breath, casting her gaze back to the ground. “He was working on human trafficking. Some family had offered their son as a worker to him as payment for their taxes, and that had given him an idea. Kale started accepting people for labor jobs and… other things.

“When I got home, I wanted to tell mom and dad so they would be prepared. I didn’t know how it would help, I was only seven, but I thought any information might be useful. When I got there, though, Kale’s thugs were at the door having a conversation I’ll never forget.”

Her father’s pleading, her mother’s crying, and her own screaming flashed across Levy’s mind.

“We were a month late on our payments. My dad just wanted a little more time, but Kale wouldn’t budge. They told us we’d lose our house unless we paid up, and there was no way we could do it in cash.”

An icy pit had formed in Gajeel’s chest. He had an awful suspicion of what happened next, and the thought brewed rage in his heart. Levy’s voice had grown quiet, barely louder than a whisper in the dark of the night around them.

“They… my parents fought them, but it was no use. The men took… _me_ as payment.”

Even the fire seemed to grow silent.

“I don’t remember much, admittedly,” Levy continued, her words coming in an awkward rush, “I was in a bag through most of the journey, but I do remember when we arrived. The first thing they did was bring me to Kale. Apparently he had to decide ‘where he wanted me’.

“I’ll never forget his face…” Levy was no longer in the grove with Gajeel. She was far away, in a dark room that chilled her to the bone, her clothes wet with frightened sweat, her skin clammy and crawling. She saw a face, a satisfied smile, and heard an order-

“He liked me,” Levy picked up again, trying not to think about the words as she said them, “He didn’t want me to sell, like the other girls. He wanted to keep me as his own personal pet. But… he needed to test me out first. He… he told his men to leave us alone and- and-”

She squeezed her eyes shut as images of pain and fear flooded her, the feeling of her clothes being torn, her body being appraised, of-

“I blocked out what happened next,” She whispered instead. She hadn’t noticed her breathing was coming faster than normal, though she couldn’t say she expected any less. She felt like she did after one of her nightmares, empty and broken.

“The next thing I knew I was being transported to a holding cell. I still don’t know exactly where I was, but I remember seeing an open window and I just… snapped. I started to flail and scream and fight. Eventually I got free from the men carrying me and I ran. I ran, jumped out the window, and kept on running. I didn’t stop until I literally couldn’t run anymore. My legs collapsed from exhaustion in the middle of the night. The next morning I found my way back home after stumbling through the woods for hours, but my family was gone.”

She forced a small smile, lifting her head for the first time since the beginning of her story. “I joined Fairy Tail as soon as I could after that. I didn’t want anything like what happened to me to happen to anyone else. When I first joined, I wanted to take Kale down, but after a few years I sort of forgot about it. I just wanted to forget. But I guess the Master felt it was time to remind me.”

Levy’s blue hair washed across her face; the wind had blown her headband free. She scrambled to fix it, accidentally brushing her cheek in the process. It was cold, and, if she could see it, pale.

Gajeel was deathly quiet. On the exterior, he looked tense and brooding, inside though… his emotions were running wild. Anger, no, _fury_ was tearing through his body like a vicious storm. He’d begun to fear the worst when Levy had started her story, and now his fears had been confirmed.

_Damn,_ that word again. Fear. _Only for her,_ he mentally insisted. That anyone could do something so horrible to someone as sweet as _Levy_ justified any amount of fear he could muster. Levy was staring at him expectantly, waiting for him to say something, but he didn’t know what to say. There were a million things rushing his heart, but he couldn’t find the words to express them. His shoulders shook every time the image of Kale’s hands on Levy’s skin passed through his mind-

He fought back a growl. His body was ready for a fight with no fight to be had. It was maddening.

Suddenly he felt a small hand on his quivering arm. He opened his eyes (when had he closed them?) to see Levy’s concerned face turned up to him, her lashes fluttering ever so slightly in the chilled breeze. They stared at each other in silence, neither daring to break it.

Meeting her eyes, Gajeel tried to logic his way through a response. He thought of ranting, expressing his rage and possessiveness, but it seemed inappropriate. If he had seen it happen, then maybe that would be a good reaction, but this was a confession. It required a little less extremity.

Finally, he calmed himself long enough to settle on a string of words.

“So we find the guy and take him in, no big deal,” Gajeel snorted, “You need to relax, Shorty,” folding his arms behind his head, he mentally slapped himself, knowing his reaction was a little too nonchalant for a revelation as large as the one she’d made. He’d meant to be soft and comforting, but it was too late now, the words had left his mouth in the most anti-comforting way he could imagine and he could only hope she didn’t take them as they sounded.

_Please understand,_ he mentally pleaded.

Levy blinked in surprise, Gajeel’s mood was drastically contrasting what she had expected and she didn’t quite know what to make of it. She considered being hurt, or getting angry, but neither of those emotions seemed appropriate. She looked up at him; his eyes closed, his mouth set in a forced smile, his body aglow, yet tense, in the flickering firelight, and slowly began to smile.

She didn’t know how to react, because Gajeel hadn’t known what to say. He was simply being Gajeel, fumbling and awkward in intense emotional situations. Maybe his reaction wasn’t the best, but she found it difficult to be mad at him. He was, after all, trying to comfort her in his own unique way. Besides, he was right; she did need to relax.

Her heart was racing, her thoughts flying, and yet she also felt relieved. Someone finally knew about Kale and everything that had happened to her, and perhaps Gajeel’s reaction had been perfect after all. He didn’t panic, he didn’t make it out to be a big deal, and he spoke the truth. She really did need to relax, and maybe…

A figurative light bulb lit in her mind. She seemed to remember Cana telling her something about relaxing (that didn’t involve booze). The thought was irrational, given what they had just been talking about, but she felt like she was on some sort of weird autopilot where logic didn’t exist.

Levy moved so that her hand was on Gajeel’s chest, her breasts pressed against him lightly. Perhaps she could kill two birds with one stone, if she played her cards right. She felt Gajeel tense a little, and the thought that she could make him nervous made her giggle. There was a very small chance that this was going to work, but Levy needed to try. All she wanted was to lose herself for a little while- to ease her racing mind.

“Do _you_ maybe want to… relax a little… too?” She whispered, inching her way up his body. Gajeel opened one eye, reeling as he found her nose to nose with him. This was a bolder Levy than he was used to; it both excited and scared him. He ruffled a little at that thought.

“I’m perfectly relaxed,” He scoffed, trying to hide the faint blush on his cheekbones. He was more than confused; Levy was acting strange even for Levy. She touched the tip of her nose to Gajeel’s, tracing along the edge with slow, gentle movements. What was she doing?

“You don’t seem very relaxed…” She commented, placing her small hand on his bicep. She squeezed, feeling the taut muscles beneath her fingertips. Levy sighed, her sweet breath washing over Gajeel’s face and fogging his mind. “I could try and help you with that…”

She leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. Gajeel returned the kiss on instinct, holding his guard. Only a few minutes earlier she’d confessed to him that she’d been- he braced himself mentally- _raped_ , and now she was trying to seduce him?

Levy’s kisses were gentle, but there was an underlying tug of need on her lips that had begun to brew a desperate longing in the pit of his stomach. He tried to clear his mind of the intricate, animalistic thoughts that were now flooding it. Was this typical behaviour for women? He didn’t know.

Levy’s arms snaked around the width of his shoulders, pressing her delicate body against his. She could feel the restraint in his posture- see it in the way he held his arms behind his head. She would have to break that restraint if she was to get anywhere at all. Her thoughts were frozen in place, focused on only this between them.

Using Gajeel’s large frame to balance herself, she lifted her leg over his torso, shifting until she was straddling him tightly. Her arms were still around his shoulders, their kiss still intact, but now she felt some degree of influence. She squeezed her legs around his hips, pressing down on him.

_Shit_ , Gajeel thought as Levy attempted to deepen their kiss, pulling at his lips urgently with her own. She was on top of him now, her little legs stretched marvellously to accommodate his wide hips. He was struggling to remain serious; she was deliciously wanting of him, so much so that he was starting to lose his mind.

“Listen, Shrimp,” He mumbled against her lips, trying to ignore the subtle grinding of her hips. “This probably isn’t a good time-”

He was startled into silence as Levy took advantage of his moving lips, slipping her tongue between them so that she may tantalizingly explore his mouth. _The little minx,_ Gajeel donned an impressed smirk, unable to deter her. Admittedly, he wanted this too. There was a part of him that wanted to mark her, to claim her as his own after hearing that another man had done the same. It stirred some long forgotten instinct within him.

It was working, Levy realised with a jolt, Gajeel was letting her kiss him. Her tongue had free reign of his glorious mouth and she wasn’t about to waste the opportunity. Her mind hadn’t yet calmed entirely- she needed more. She needed everything.

Her kisses became more demanding, her fingers tangling helplessly in Gajeel’s dark hair. She pulled his head closer to her, forcing him to lean forward and away from his folded arms. A grumble of protest met her ears, but she ignored it, throwing everything she had into this one kiss.

Gajeel’s whole body was on fire; Levy was testing his willpower to its limit, forcing him to hold himself back with everything he had. The need coming from her was palpable, so much so that he was losing his damn mind. This wasn’t behaviour he expected from Levy, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t think it was sexy as hell.

Levy felt Gajeel responding to her, however involuntarily it may be. It gave her the confidence she needed to arch into him, slowly grinding against his growing erection. _So this is what he’s like,_ she thought, relishing in the feeling, a small moan escaping her throat.

Oh. Fucking _. God._

That had done it. Gajeel couldn’t restrain himself any longer. Levy had lured him into her trap, and now he was stuck. This tiny person had unnerved him so much that he lost the one thing he prided himself on: his self-control. He wanted her, he needed her, he had to make her _his_.

Gajeel’s hands were on her waist, eagerly pushing her backwards onto the damp grass. Levy’s back hit the ground with a soft thud, startling her with the shock of cold to her skin. Gajeel’s body hovered over hers in heart-stopping proximity; god he was… he was…

‘Debonair’ was the first word that popped into Levy’s mind, although the description didn’t exactly fit the scenario. Gajeel’s very presence robbed her of her breath- the fact that her brain was functioning well enough to come up with a word like ‘debonair’ in this instant was incredible. It was proof to her that she wasn’t lost enough; she wanted to dive into him, be surrounded by him, to drown in him.

Gajeel’s lips moved to the sensitive patch of skin below Levy’s ear, kissing and nipping playfully. He was beyond the point of even thinking about holding back; all he could think about was Levy. Her body beneath his drove his instincts wild, consuming him deliciously with her scent, her sounds, her sobs-

He stopped suddenly, the tiny sound acting as a shot of ice through his veins.

Gajeel pushed himself up on his elbows, panic surging in his gut. Bile stung the back of his throat, nauseating him to dizzying degrees. Levy lay on the ground, her delicate face pinched in quiet agony. Her eyes were squeezed shut, sparkling tears spilling from their corners.

Oh no.

Gajeel rolled off of her as fast as his body would allow, his heart racing painfully in his heaving chest. What had he done? Was he _supposed_ to hold back? Had this been a test? Had he made her uncomfortable? Had he hurt her? _Damnit! What. Did. He. Do?_

His heart stopped abruptly in his chest.

Had he… reminded her of Kale?

“Levy?” He whispered, afraid to speak too loudly. He hated admitting he was afraid, but she had a nasty habit of drawing out the emotion in him. He constantly feared for her- feared losing her, feared she’d get herself hurt, feared he would hurt her- and now he felt himself gripped with the fear he’d gone too far.

“Oh my god,” She gasped; her voice was higher than normal, the tears clogging her senses. “I’m so sorry, it’s nothing, I swear, I just-”

She stopped, the words turning to ash on her tongue. She just… what? Just wanted to forget? Just wanted to do something crazy? Just… _what?_

A tense silence fell between the two. Gajeel’s heart had started to slow, his composure returning to him. The sight of Levy crying had him unravelling, but he couldn’t show that now. As he watched her face, it shifted from shock to sadness to defeat in a very short span. All in all, he saw a broken girl before him.

At once, he knew what was going on. It relieved him, to know he hadn’t been the cause, but he was utterly lost. He knew how to fight monsters, not memories.

Levy tried desperately to slow the flow of tears. She had felt something snap inside her heart, something that she couldn’t ignore no matter how hard she tried. She knew this feeling; it was the feeling she got after every nightmare, every hellish daydream, every little reminder of what had happened to her at the hands of Kale. She struggled to backtrack, to return to the moments just before now when she was truly happy being with Gajeel, but she couldn’t. Kale’s grip on her was firm; he wouldn’t let her go without a fight.

Then, suddenly, she felt another grip. This one was different; it was soft and warm, supportive and comforting. Gajeel wrapped his arms around her small, shaking body, pulling her into his engulfing embrace. His grip was one of love, one that gave her a small twinge of hope.

He didn’t say anything as he held her, letting the last of her sobs escape her trembling form before breaking the silence. He didn’t really know what to say, to be honest. Gajeel wasn’t renowned for his way with words. He wracked his brain to come up with something, anything he could say to help Levy, but all that was produced was smoke. He was so lost in his thoughts, so focused on his mental capabilities, that he didn’t notice he’d started to sing.

“… _Lean into me, let me know…”_ It was quiet, and to himself mostly, but Levy was close enough to hear his hushed words:

_“I’ll give you room… space to grow…_

_But if you need me, know I’ll be there,_

_Just say the word, your burden is mine to share…_ ”

Levy’s labored breath calmed to a normal pace as the words sunk into her heart. She hadn’t heard this song before, it was new, or he hadn’t written it down, at least. She knew he wasn’t singing it to her, per se, but she couldn’t stop herself from taking it that way. Gajeel’s words had faded once again to meaningless mumbles, leaving Levy in a thought-filled silence.

She leaned back, the cold air assaulting her skin where it had been pressed into Gajeel’s warmth. He looked down at her with caution; it was clear he didn’t know how to react, or how she would react, so he stayed quiet. Levy blinked at him, carefully assessing the harsh lines of his face softened by the glowing firelight, and felt her spirits begin to lift.

Maybe, just maybe, Gajeel’s grip was stronger than Kale’s.


	5. Chapter 5

Four days.

Four days and three nights had passed when Gajeel and Levy finally stumbled upon the unguarded outskirts of Nessle.

It had been too dark to see at first as they headed into the fourth night of their journey. Levy had nearly blindly stumbled into an open square when Gajeel hauled her back, catching the gentle whisper of voices in the cold night air.

“There,” He grunted, jabbing his thumb in a direction that vaguely resembled west. Levy had instinctively paused, focused solely on Gajeel’s hand on her back. He’d been physically distant with her since their first night by the fire, and it was driving her crazy. Although, she knew she didn’t have anyone to blame but herself.

She’d thrown herself at him like a fool, her thoughts clouded by anguish. She’d wanted to forget what had happened to her, and she wanted Gajeel in ways she never thought she’d want anyone again, and of course he was putting the brakes on every move she made. Trying to fix both problems at the same time was Levy’s mistake, she knew that now.

Every time she thought about the way she’d acted, she blushed. She’d been distraught and confused, and she’d let herself get carried away. It was her fault Gajeel was distant now, she knew that. She’d have to fix it somehow, but now was not the time. Pushing her discomfort from her mind for the time being, Levy followed his gesture, searching the darkened canvas of trees and buildings for the source of the chatter.

“Three of them,” Gajeel continued under his breath. His low voice startled her out of concentration, but she quickly regained her composure and squinted against the dark. A quick glance at his face revealed to her that his eyes were focusing beyond the capability of a human; he was deep in the recesses of his dragon senses, tracing the unknown figures of the night. “Young, two female, one male… they sound like kids.”

Levy’s shoulders dropped in relief; she hadn’t realised they’d been tensed until relaxation flooded her muscles. Among everything else, being back home in Nessle was stressful for her. The last time she’d set foot in the town was when she was a traumatized little girl, searching for her parents and coming up empty handed. Her stomach twisted.

“It seems like the coast is clear, for now.” Gajeel stood from the underbrush, dusting his shirt and pants free of fallen leaves. He seemed to be relaxed, at least as relaxed as one might expect on a mission, but Levy knew better. To the untrained eye, Gajeel was acting no different than he normally would, but his upset was made evident in the way he barely looked at her, the way he kept at least a foot of distance between them, and how every now and again his fist would clench until his knuckles turned ghostly white.

“We should find a place to start looking,” He continued, twisting his arms until his shoulders popped. “I’m going to go ahead and guess that you don’t remember where this guy is, and I’ve never smelled him before. We’ll have to look for something to get us going.”

“We can go to my house,” Levy suggested quietly. She was half-hoping that Gajeel wouldn’t hear her, as she wasn’t overly keen on stopping by home. But it was the only place she could think of that may have some clue as to where Kale was now; the ‘contract’ he’d signed with her parents upon claiming their taxes stated that they were bound for the next four decades at least, so if the house was still standing, it would be under collection, even if a new family had moved in. It was a long shot, but maybe there would be some mail or other documents indicating Kale’s current whereabouts lying around, whether inside or in the trash.

“You sure about that, Shorty?” Levy winced; of course he had heard her. The night air tugged at her skin, colder now than it had been just moments ago. Was she sweating? She didn’t know. Instead of answering out loud, she nodded, taking a step towards the packed dirt path that led through the town.

Gajeel fell into step behind Levy, watching as she walked quickly to the other side of the small town. Her feet dragged in the dirt, but in a way that made it seem like she didn’t want to do what she was doing, but wanted to get it over with at the same time… or something. He groaned inwardly; how had he gotten himself into such a fuck up?

Every time he looked at Levy since the other night, he could only see her tear stained cheeks and quivering shoulders, and it invoked too many emotions in him to process coherently. He was heartbroken, because he hated seeing her in any kind of distress; he felt helpless, because he couldn’t’ stop the pain she felt; he was ashamed, because he’d handled the situation horribly and now he doubted she’d ever want to be near him again, and he hadn’t even told her the worst part yet; but most of all he was angry. No, he wasn’t angry; he was _furious._ He was furious at the man who’d dared to lay a finger on his Levy, furious that he hadn’t been there to stop it, furious that this man was still alive and able to take a free breath-

And he was scared. He couldn’t forget that one.

He contemplated fighting the fear, but pride be damned, he was downright terrified. Gajeel hated the thought of being helpless, especially in regards to Levy. He wanted to help, wanted to be there for her, but he was no good at this stuff. It was times like these when he wished he didn’t have to be so abrasive all the damn time. Whenever he tried to get close to her, or to comfort her, he fucked it up royally. If he kept this up, he would lose her, if he hadn’t already, and he couldn’t stand the possibility of that happening.

So he resigned to keep his distance, to let Levy take the lead and he would follow, hoping that his understanding and attempted patience hadn’t come too late.

Levy eventually stopped next to a quaint little house just outside the center of town, with dry wooden beams and yellow curtains hung in the windows. It was small, but comfortable for maybe two people. The roof was falling apart, but it still held up and kept its shape. The lawn almost didn’t exist, and the steps looked like they would collapse at any moment. In its prime, it would’ve been delightfully rustic, but time had ravaged it and now it looked more like a shed than a home. Minus the decay, it looked exactly how Gajeel had pictured Levy’s childhood home.

“It doesn’t look like anyone lives here,” Levy thought aloud, taking a step towards the door. The vulnerability in her eyes sparked an instinct in him to step in front of her and guide her through this ordeal, holding her hand all the while and assuring her that he was here. But Gajeel refrained, allowing Levy to approach the house uninterrupted. If he stepped in now, he didn’t know what would happen. Talk about the blind leading the blind.

The door was just as she remembered it, faded and the same shade of yellow as the curtains. The emotions surging in her heart renewed, choking her with the intensity of it all. She took a quick look around, ensuring there was no one in sight, before taking a deep breath and stretching out her hand. Reaching for the doorknob gave her flashbacks of running through the town as a child, coming home only to find her mom in the kitchen making bread or cookies for Levy, of darting into her bedroom before Kale’s goons showed up for collection so she could pretend it didn’t happen, of escaping the factory and rushing home to find her parents, not knowing that when she opened the door she would find-

Nothing.

That was what met her hand when she reached for the door. Levy blinked in confusion, stretching her fingers where there should have been a handle, but finding empty air in its place. Taking a step back, Levy looked around the entrance. She saw where everything used to be: flattened areas of grass where her mother had placed flower pots and a slightly darker area of concrete before the door where they’d had a welcome mat, but oddly there was nothing left outside. Not even the doorknob.

“What is it?” Gajeel asked, trying to sound nonchalant over the rampaging worry that had consumed him.

“I’m not sure,” Levy answered, still assessing the house. Other than the lack of homely items, nothing stood out to her- until she caught sight of a small corner of white paper wedged into the doorframe.

Levy snatched it from its hiding place, unfolding it as quickly as her numbing fingers would allow. It was an official notice from the town- or more likely Kale- with the word ‘FORECLOSURE’ written in large, block letters.

Levy didn’t wait to see if Gajeel would follow her. She elbowed the front door open and burst inside, only to be met with a cloud of dust. She coughed and waved at the air in front of her, squeezing her eyes shut until she was able to see beyond the dark and dirt, stifling a sob.

She had expected- no, she had _wanted_ to see all of their furniture, homemade and gifted, in place around the hearth, worn from use. She had wanted to see some dishes on the spotless counter where her mother had left them, waiting to clean until after Levy had trekked mud through the door. She had wanted to see her toys, maybe even some of her old clothes, strewn across the rug with the carefree whim of a child. She had wanted to see her home.

She should’ve known that was too good to be true.

All of her parents stuff was gone, taken and most likely sold to pay off their debt. The rooms were completely gutted; only dust and garbage left to indicate it had ever been lived in. Levy didn’t know why she’d expected anything different, for all she knew there would be a new family living here and she would’ve just run in on them. She should’ve seen it coming; the bare walls, the empty rooms, the barrenness of the house that echoed her own feelings.

“Shit…” Gajeel stepped into the empty house beside Levy, letting out a gust of breath in a long, low whistle. This, although he hated to admit it, is what he’d been expecting, but not what he had been hoping for, for Levy’s sake.

Levy was quiet for a long time, absorbing the cobwebs and piles of useless bits of garbage in every corner. Not only was this a shock to her, but it was also maddeningly unhelpful. There was nothing here that might lead them to Kale; coming here was a waste of time. That almost hurt more than the vacancy.

“We should go,” She insisted, turning quickly so she wouldn’t have to look at the depressing sight anymore. She didn’t even glance towards her room door, knowing it would bear more of the same. All of her things, her toys, her clothes… she didn’t think she could take seeing it like this.

Gajeel lifted a hand and tangled it in his thick hair. He didn’t want to push the matter, but he really did feel he should check the other rooms. A quick glance at Levy told him she couldn’t do it, and that wasn’t her fault. He wouldn’t force her. He heaved a sigh, leaning back so he could see her face.

“Hey, why don’t you step outside Shrimp? I’ll have a look in here and then we can go.” He waited, but Levy didn’t say anything. She folded her arms across her chest, rubbing her own shoulders in comfort.

“Yeah, that’s probably for the best…” She admitted quietly, looking at the floor. She was beginning to feel claustrophobic, though it wasn’t something she typically suffered from. The emotional roller coaster she’d been on for the past week was far from over, and she was feeling the effects like a hard hit to the gut.

Gajeel’s shoulders slumped as he took in Levy’s stance. Seeing her without her typical cheer was off-putting, and she’d been like it for long now that it was making him antsy.

“I’ll only be a minute,” He assured her, reaching out to push her towards the door. She turned to smile at him gratefully, anticipating his hand on any part of her, but he’d stopped abruptly, hand hovering just inches from her as though it was frozen in place.

“Gajeel? What-?” Just as suddenly as he’d stopped, Gajeel retracted his hand like it was on fire, straightening his pose until his back was rigid, looking like someone had stuck a metal rod through his body. Levy blinked at him, looking around but seeing nothing. All at once, it occurred to her what he was doing.

“Oh for the love of-” Levy groaned. “Gajeel. I’ve had just about enough of this. I’m your _girlfriend!_ You can’t be afraid to touch me; it kind of defeats the purpose.” She threw her hands in the air, frustration pouring out of her. Her anger was now taking the place of her upset, drawing her focus to something else. She was almost relieved. “For god’s sake, I practically live at your house, it’s not like you can avoid me forever! Besides-”

But Gajeel wasn’t listening. He was staring over Levy’s shoulder, beyond her, to a far corner of the room where a small pile of garbage was growing dust and mold. There, on the top of the pile, was something that made his muscles freeze, his heart stop, and the color drain from his tanned skin.

“-about the other night, but it wasn’t your fault! I was just upset-”

It was a picture; a small, seemingly insignificant family photo. It was dark, and dusty, but his dragon eyes could see enough of it. There was a tall man, with dark hair and friendly eyes, cradling a crying baby with bright blue hair. Half of the baby was lost to torn edges and decay, but Gajeel knew it was Levy. He just knew.

“-between you and me! Our relationship, physical or otherwise, has nothing to do with Kale-”

It was the woman, however, that had caught his attention. The goddamn woman. A short lady with Levy’s smile and chin, staring lovingly at the baby in her husband’s arms. She was young, and pretty, exactly what he would expect from Levy’s mother. She had dark blue hair, a slightly different shade than her daughter’s, but the resemblance was there. She looked strong, happy, and healthy. She looked good.

Nothing like she’d looked when Gajeel had met her.

“-what I have with you is nothing like him. It’s completely different, and I don’t want my past to affect us now-”

It was years ago. Shit, it was like an entirely different lifetime. He’d been in Phantom Lord at the time, and this broken shell of a person had shown up at their doorstep, talking gibberish about a dude named Kale and her husband and her daughter. Hell, he was amazed they’d been able to decipher that much she was so hysterical. She pleaded with them to help her get her daughter back, but they’d laughed at her and sent her away.

Fuck; they’d sent Levy’s mother away.

“-love you and I just want to-”

Gajeel opened his mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came to his mind. Fuck, what do you say in this kind of situation? Levy was rambling, something about Kale, and him, fuck he didn’t know what she was saying. It felt like there was water in his ears, distorting his hearing and making her voice sound distant and faded.

“-Gajeel _please_ listen to me! I don’t want you to feel bad about this anymore! It was my fault anyway, I was trying to handle too much at once and I did it in the wrong way. I just need some time to adjust and then everything will go back to-”

“Levy,” Gajeel’s voice came out choked and raspy, like he hadn’t used it in what felt like ages. Damnit, he’d have to try again.

“-normal! I just need you to be here for me until then, ok? Can you do that?”

“Levy,” He was louder now, at least, but he still sounded like he’d eaten sandpaper for lunch. Levy didn’t seem to have heard him, still in the midst of her ranting, whatever it was about.

“Are you even listening to me? Seriously, you can be so stubborn sometimes! Just-”

“Levy!”

Gajeel’s hands shot out and grabbed her shoulders, startling her into abrupt silence. For the first time in minutes, Gajeel locked his eyes with hers, trying to convey the panic and regret in them. Fuck, if only Levy could read minds. It would save him a hell of a lot of trouble.

“Jeez Gajeel, when I said I wanted you to touch me I didn’t exactly mean-”

He shook her gently, coaxing her into silence once again. She met his stare then, finally noticing the way his shoulders squared stressfully before her, how deep the lines of his face were.

“Hey,” She whispered, reaching out to smooth the creases of his forehead. He winced under her touch, but didn’t pull away. “What’s wrong?”

“Levy, I need to ask you something.” Gajeel’s eyes were wide with what looked like- fright? He nodded his head in a direction over her shoulder, indicating that she should follow his gaze. “That picture, is that your mother?”

“Picture? What-?” Levy turned in confusion, eyes resting on a pile of trash in the corner. She hadn’t noticed before, but sure enough there was a nearly destroyed photograph on the top of the pile, one she never thought she’d see again.

“Oh my god…” Before she realised it, she was across the room with the picture in her hand. It was her family, back before all the trouble, back when they were happy. She was too young to remember the day, but she remembered the photo. It had sat in the kitchen window where her mother could see it while she was cooking. It had been a long time since she’d seen her parents; they looked just like they did in her memories. The image brought tears to her dry eyes.

“Is it?”

Gajeel’s voice sounded from somewhere behind her. She could only nod, not trusting her voice to work under the circumstances.

His stomach dropped in dread, knowing that it was a long shot but still having to ask; Gajeel knew that woman was Levy’s mother, but he had to hope; if only for the small shred of possibility that he was mistaken. Of course, he knew he wasn’t.

“Shit,” He hissed, pressing his palms into his forehead. Panic was rising in his throat, bringing with it the bitter taste of bile. He could see Levy staring at him, then at the photograph, then back at him, but he couldn’t bring himself to say anything more coherent than a curse. “Shit, shit, shit.”

“Gajeel? What’s going on?”

He ground his fists into his temples, trying to regain his composure. He had to tell her, fuck, he had to tell her.

“Ok, shit, ok.” He took a deep breath, attempting to calm his beating heart. It was pounding in his ears, drowning out all thought and clarity. “Ok. Levy. Ok, listen.”

Levy took a step forward, reaching out to Gajeel and placing a hand on his arm. He looked like he wanted to recoil from her touch, and that hurt, but he didn’t. He stayed where he was although his chest was rising and falling at an unsettling rate.

“Ok. Back when I was with Phantom, we had this chick show up.” He began, stumbling over his words. It was like he had forgotten how to speak English, the once familiar language sounding foreign on his tongue. “She was upset, like, bat shit crazy upset. She kept going on about her daughter, and how she was missing, and how she wanted someone to help her. Fuck. Ok.” Gajeel couldn’t look at Levy anymore. Any moment she would piece together what he was trying to say, and he just couldn’t watch as her love for him vanished from her eyes.

“We laughed at her; we laughed at her and sent her away. But you gotta understand, we were a dark guild. I was a different person back then, shit.” He groaned. “I was a completely different person. I’d never do that now. If I had my time back, I’d have-” He stopped, taking a moment to stop himself from hyperventilating. “It would’ve gone differently, let’s just say that. Levy. This woman. She was your mom. I swear to god, it was her. She wanted help getting her daughter back from Kale, but we turned her down. Fuck. Levy, she wanted help saving _you._ ”

The silence was so thick you could’ve sliced it with a knife.

Levy blinked at Gajeel in stunned silence, trying desperately to process the confession he’d just made. But it was like her brain had shut off, like the wheels were rusted and struggling to turn. Phantom? Gajeel? Her mother?

Her mother…

Slowly, information began to click into place. Her mother, her distressed, lonely mother, had gone to Gajeel for help, help in finding her daughter… help in finding Levy-

“I’m so sorry,” Gajeel was saying. It was the first time Levy had ever heard him sound panicked, at least to this degree. She tried to look at his face, but it was blurry like she was looking beyond it. “Jesus Levy, I’m so sorry. I had no idea- I really didn’t- I mean- fuck!” He cursed loudly, huffing in frustration. “I know you must be mad, and I know I can’t change anything but-”

“My mother went to Phantom Lord for help… when?” She cut him off, some volume returning to her failing voice. She wasn’t hearing what Gajeel was saying, she was focussed on one thing and one thing only.

Gajeel blinked. “Hell I don’t know, maybe six years ago? Longer? I don’t fucking know. Why does that even matter?”

Her mother may still be alive.

Levy’s eyes widened in something she hadn’t felt a lot of in the past week, hope. Gajeel’s story should’ve made her angry, or hurt, she knew that. But it didn’t. She tried to summon betrayal in her heart, but it faltered and left her feeling wrong. Gajeel’s story hadn’t provoked her upset, it had made her happy.

“All of these years, I thought she was gone…” Levy whispered to herself, ignoring Gajeel’s confused looks and impatient breaths. “But she was alive. Gajeel!” She lifted her head to him, a spontaneous smile lighting her face. Gajeel looked like he didn’t know how to respond to that, like he hadn’t yet caught up to where she was. “My mom might still be alive!”

He stared back at her, sheer and complete dread settling into his stomach. Hell, he would’ve preferred her inconsolable anger to this. Gajeel watched, watched as the idea of being reunited with her mother settled into her mind for a long and stubborn stay; he could almost physically see it happening in her eyes. Levy’s shoulders squared as she turned to head back into the center of the room, searching with renewed vigour. He wasn’t even sure she remembered he was there, the energy radiating from her was so palpable.

“Listen, Shrimp…” Gajeel began. He hated himself in this moment more than he ever had before, but while he was in the habit of being honest…

“Kale’s goons must’ve been in and out of here all the time,” Levy figured, pursing her lips in thought. “Maybe you can get a hold of their scent, and we can follow it. Ideally it will lead us to his warehouse, but even if it just leads us to his henchmen it’s a start at least. Gajeel? Can you smell anything?”

“I don’t really-” Gajeel stopped himself. Of course he could smell things; there were strange scents all over the place. Most of them were random and faint, but there were three or four that were stronger and all seemed to be coming from the same direction. But should he tell Levy that?

She was looking at him in a way that could break his heart. Could he really shoot her down again, after everything? He stared at her for a long time, not wanting to meet her eyes but finding himself unable to do anything but. It was only when he finally _really_ looked at her that he understood what she was asking of him.

Shit, he should’ve known.

Levy was smart. He knew that. She knew that. Hell, the whole goddamn world knew it. How could he have thought she wouldn’t know? The possibility of her mother still being alive after all these years, even upon her visit to Phantom Lord, was a slim one. Levy knew that. And yet here she was, asking Gajeel to track the people who’d ransacked her house so she could chase a wild goose.

But she wasn’t asking that. Levy was asking Gajeel to track the men who’d ransacked her house so they could get on with their investigation. She was looking for Kale, but at the same time she was asking him to entertain her for the time being, to allow her to use the thought of her mother being alive to keep her going.

She was asking him to let her _hope._

And he’d be damned if he couldn’t at least do that for her.

“There’s a strong trail leading northwest.” He concluded, offering her a determined smirk. “Do you want to leave now, or wait until morning?”

Levy smiled.


	6. Chapter 6

Elegantly written script crashed wildly against the stone wall to Levy’s left. She’d written ‘Fire’, but her rage and hurt had enlarged the delicate flame to a billowing swell of heat. Two of Kale’s subordinates dove to the ground, covering their heads with their already blistering hands.

“Bind!” Levy’s wrist flew across the air in front of her, leaving a trail of neatly formed letters behind it. She was reacting blindly now, processing her actions with something she liked to call ‘battle brain’, the fast-paced instinctual way she made decisions on the battlefield. It had worked for her well up until this point, but she was getting tired, and before she knew it the men in front of her were bound with a thick bar of iron.

She and Gajeel had found their way to one of Kale’s hideouts by following the scent of the men who’d ransacked her family home. It had been a long journey for them, as the base was well hidden in the thicket of trees surrounding the area, but with Gajeel’s nose they found it in less than two days. Levy had gotten little sleep, but it hardly mattered to her at the time. Now, she was regretting it.

These were the first two of Kale’s men they’d encountered; Gajeel had stumbled across a few minor guards around the outskirts of the base, but none of them had given them any trouble. It wasn’t until they’d accidentally tracked down two higher ups that they were met with somewhat of a challenge. Their names were Jakob and Heinrich; they’d come to Levy’s house many times when she was growing up. Jakob had even been a friend of hers before going to work for Kale, but those days were long gone.

Heinrich and Jakob had alerted others, and they were now barrelling down the hallway towards the fray. Gajeel gave Heinrich a final crack to the skull and he went down, out cold for a few hours at least.

Levy fell into a crouch, trying to rest her body before the next onslaught. Her dress bunched at her hips, pulling up from her thighs and cooling her. She knew she was in no state to take on more than four or five men without catching her breath, but she also knew that Gajeel was marginally stronger than her and would more than make up for her shortcomings.

She wiped scattered beads of sweat from the bridge of her nose with the back of her hand. A man in a white suit and bright green tie was charging her; a magical weapon resembling Bisca’s brandished threateningly in his hand. Levy skipped backwards, writing furiously along the floor as she went.

The man was almost on top of her when she removed her pen from the tile, an enormous crack erupting from the points she marked. In a blink, the floor fell away to a deep trap, the man tumbling in head over heel.

“We should move!” Gajeel suggested, shoving another minion into the wall face first. Levy nodded curtly, scribbling another spell on the wall next to her. A thick, iron barrier sprouted from the floor, sealing off the hallway where the men were attacking from. With one of their exits closed, Levy followed Gajeel down another hall and around a corner, working their way deeper into Kale’s fortress.

“Do you know where we’re going?” Levy panted, struggling to keep up with Gajeel’s long steps.

He paused to sniff the air, never slowing his pace. “Not for sure, but I know we’re getting further from the outside, so it seems like a good direction to go.”

She didn’t argue, but she didn’t agree either. Gajeel’s nose was a force of nature, and his instincts were sharp, but every aspect of Kale’s existence was shrouded in mystery and doubt for Levy. She was finding it hard to trust even her most sure gut feelings.

“Someone’s coming,” Gajeel muttered, halting suddenly. Levy ran into him full force, catching herself on his massive frame. If they weren’t in such a precarious position, he would’ve laughed.

Gajeel did a quick scan of their surroundings. There was what looked to be an electrical room on their right, and that seemed like their best bet. Normally, Gajeel hated hiding; it was cowardly and unnecessary. He knew he was stronger than any man here; he could easily take out this whole building by himself if he wanted.

But then there was Levy.

Shrimp was smart, he knew that. She was tactful and skilled with her script magic, but she wasn’t a fighter. She was more of a support wizard, if he was being honest. That wasn’t a bad thing, fuck no, it was just different. He could lay 50 men flat on their face in one move, but he couldn’t strategize the way she could. Levy could manipulate her surroundings any way she wanted, but she didn’t have a tough enough heart to be laying the blows. Levy’s skills lay in other areas of the battlefield, not the front line.

She was breaking a sweat after their first battle, and Gajeel had barely felt pressured during the fight, but he was determined to work with her. It was difficult, stepping back and letting her handle herself. But this was Levy’s fight, and he would take his time and play it safe if it meant moving at her pace.

Swiftly he gathered Levy in a hold and ushered her into the electrical room. The heavy door swung shut with a decisive click behind them, sending them into darkness and sealing them off from the approaching enemy.

Gajeel knelt and pressed himself to the door, listening through the thick steel for footsteps. He couldn’t hear any, at first, but patience would serve him well. There was an odd beeping sound, and then panicked footfalls met his ear as three or four men burst down the hallway in the direction they’d come from. He and Levy would have to move quickly if they wanted to be a safe distance from here when the minions came after them.

“Ok Shrimp, I think it’s safe to go.” He announced in a hushed whisper, reaching back with an open palm for Levy’s hand. She didn’t take it.

“Shrimp?”

Gajeel turned, looking for Levy in the low light. He found her immediately, standing next to him with her hair covering half her face. He was only a hair shorter than her when kneeling like this, it was almost amusing, but the tense set to her shoulders stopped him from giving into the laughter.

“Look”

It was all she said. Gajeel was about to complain to her for being cryptic when he glanced at the wall opposite them. He would’ve done a double take if his eyes weren’t already glued to the sight.

An otherwise blank wall stood papered with hundreds- no thousands of files, maps, and documents, all detailing people Gajeel didn’t recognize. It was hard to see in the dark, but a soft red light in the corner of the room provided just enough illumination to read names.

Jacille Olivier, -$3000, deceased.

Horace Blackthorne, -$200, Eastern Seaboard.

Kiera Yallnet, settled, deceased.

The list went on and on, names followed by debt and location, status, maps depicting their last known address, documents stating valuable possessions, even known family members were somewhere in the mass of information.

“What in the hell…?” Gajeel trailed, his breath coming out low and soft. The papers were organized in a way that seemed disorderly, but with a distinct pattern that only the person who placed them would be able to understand. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to the people profiled; some were alive, some were dead, some were missing, some had settled their debts, most hadn’t.

“Is this all the people Kale hounds?” Gajeel wondered aloud. He didn’t expect Levy to answer, but she shook her head quickly, reaching a hand out to the wall.

“This isn’t everyone; just the ones he has unfinished business with.” Her voice cracked on the word ‘business’, a detail Gajeel tucked safely away in the back of his mind. He would understand this situation and help her through it if it killed him. He’d be supportive as fuck, patient as hell, and as strong as she damn well needed him to be. He had to.

“But…” He trailed, a studded brow shooting upward. “Some of these people are dead… and some of them have their debt settled. How is he not done with them?”

Levy bit her lip, her outstretched hand hovering shakily in the air in front of her. “Kale is never satisfied with a settled debt. It’s not enough for him to just let you go after you’ve been under his thumb for so long. The people who are deceased have family members listed below them. The people whose debt is settled…” She gulped, her eyes darting sadly between the names one by one. “They have an ‘x’ by their names. He means to kill them, if he hasn’t already.”

The cogs were turning creakily in Gajeel’s mind. He’d met maniacs before, hell he’d worked for a lot of them, even almost became one himself. But he couldn’t understand this. Why would a business man go through the trouble to toy with people for so long, to offer them an out, only to tear it away?

“It was better to stay in debt to Kale,” Levy explained, her fingertips brushing against a yellowing page with torn edges. The name on the paper was ‘Josephine Fallinger’, another one Gajeel couldn’t recognize. Her debt was settled, and her two kids were listed below her, all with a striking red ‘x’ next to them. “You would still be alive, at least, and your family would be safe. He wouldn’t target you if he thought he could get money from you.”

Levy stared at the page for a long time, a faraway look in her eyes that made Gajeel nervous. Grumbling internally, but increasingly less resentfully, he placed a hand on Levy’s shoulder and put slight pressure, pulling her fingers away from the wall and breaking her trance.

“We need to move or we’re going to be stuck.” He grunted, nodding towards the door they’d come through. There’ll be fifty guys here in less than five minutes, and we still don’t know exactly where we are.”

Levy blinked, like she’d suddenly remembered where they were, and nodded. Brushing her shimmering blue hair away from her eyes, she ducked under Gajeel’s arm and reached for the handle.

Coming here was a bad idea. Levy felt a growing sense of dread deep in her stomach that was like a nagging family member, familiar enough to want to listen to but annoying enough to ignore. She and Gajeel had come all this way, and as they weaved their way through the complicated building Levy found she was unable to quit. This was important; it was something she had to do.

Even so, she couldn’t squash the doubt. She’d survived this long without seeking revenge, she could surely continue. Kale was a part of her past, not her present; if she wanted to she could keep it that way. She could tell Gajeel to forget the whole thing and turn around, get them out of there, they could go home and decide if they should retile Gajeel’s bathroom.

But then she thought of the wall.

She hadn’t seen her picture there, but that didn’t mean anything. The wall was huge, with mass amounts of files haphazardly placed. Little Levy McGarden would be easy to miss amongst the chaos.

Would she ever be free? No. She knew that. The only way to end this was for her to _end this._

As the two sides of her brain warred angrily, Levy fell slightly behind Gajeel. It was for the better, he wasn’t entirely sure where they were going anymore. In this area of the fort, there were rooms everywhere, none of which seemed a likely place for Kale to be. Gajeel skid to a grumpy halt, throwing his head back and sniffing angrily.

Levy welcomed the break, giving her mind some much needed time to catch up to her. She suspected a large contributor to her hesitance was her nerves; they were squirming in her stomach like a pit of angry snakes. With the prospect of meeting Kale again so close, she had to wonder if she would be able to handle it.

When she finally saw him, what would she do? Would she freeze? Would she attack? Would she talk? Would she revert to her old self? Or would she turn tail and run?

She didn’t have much more time to think about it. Gajeel suddenly stopped sniffing, and then inhaled deeply, mentally eliminating rooms one by one until he settled on a door ahead of them and to the left, a door with the strangest of smells seeping through the frame.

It was a human… at least, in the strictest sense of the word. Gajeel could nearly smell the madness, permeated with what seemed like… flowers?

“There,” He pointed roughly, catching Levy’s attention. “He’s in there, I’m almost sure of it.”

Levy sucked in a breath. The door was about ten feet away from them, but it seemed a much shorter distance than that. The door, that was unassuming cool steel, stood out to her more than if it were brightly painted with neon colors and polka dots. The door, _that_ door, would finally bring her face to face with Kale once again.

Her legs felt like they were made of dried spaghetti noodles. She wobbled, afraid that if she took a step they would break and she would collapse, stuck here for the rest of her days. She couldn’t do this, she was almost sure.

But a firm hand pressed gently to the small of her back, steadying her and easing her forward. Gajeel was looking down at her, concerned and patient as they made their way slowly down the hallway. Levy was grateful, but also terrified, and her heart pounded loudly in her chest, drowning her thoughts and all other sound.

And suddenly they were there, Gajeel’s hand gripping the knob fiercely.

“Are you ready, Shrimp?” He asked quietly, trying not to sound like he was rushing her.

Levy took as many breaths as she could before answering. An old, familiar panic was rising in her throat, but she pushed it down. Nodding slowly, she reached forward and placed her hand over Gajeel’s, twisting the knob with him and pushing the door open before them.

The light in the room was blinding. Levy had to blink several times before she could see anything at all, but once her eyes adjusted her fear was taken over by confusion.

They were in a garden, an outdoor garden surrounded by opposing dark steel walls. They rose several stories, revealing a wide skylight at the very top that shone with sunlight even though it was the dead of night. It was warm, almost welcoming, and Levy felt the urge to take off her shoes and walk in the grass.

There were flowers everywhere; potted, bushes, vines, even trees, all arranged in delicately planned patterns that filled the room with an array of smells that were far from overpowering. Levy saw daisies, roses, petunias, lilies; there was even a small pond to their left with lily pads and reeds, and two large koi fish swimming in lazy circles.

It was beautiful, in its own right. The flowers were thriving wonderfully, as were the fish, but the crown jewel of the garden was a tall, strong apple tree in the far center.

Levy’s eyes caught on the tree in a horrible way. Her mother had had one just like it, and the more she stared the more she came to realise that this was the same tree. This apple tree, the point of interest in this garden, belonged to her mother so many years ago.

She knew the chances of it being the same tree were slim, but she also knew Kale. Her gut told her that this was the same tree, she knew it in her heart, and even if she was wrong it at least reminded her where they were.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

The voice startled the both of them, but Levy more so than Gajeel. It was calm, and confident, slithering its way out from behind the very tree they were staring at like a snake stalking in tall grass.

“There you are…” Gajeel ground out, his eyes narrowing in on the trunk of the tree. Levy followed his gaze to a shadow lurking just beyond them; it shimmered and then moved, slowly revealing itself as a tall man with a wide frame stepping casually into their view.

He was wide, but not heavy. He rivalled Gajeel in stature, but from what Levy could tell his muscles weren’t as defined. He was sophisticated, poised confidently and sure as he took a few steps in their direction, flashing them a perfect smile one might give to an old friend they hadn’t seen in a long time.

His face was all hard lines and clean cut, intentional stubble shadowing his jaw with maturity. His eyes were bright and laughing, with a menace behind them that Levy could see as plain as the straight-tipped nose on his face. They were a pale, pale blue; so pale they looked almost a milky white, with large black pupils that screamed ‘dangerously innocent’.

The sides of his head were shaved nearly to the scalp, his black hair growing thicker as it moved to the top of his head, building to a thick sweep that fell across his forehead, the ends dancing over his stern eyebrows.

All in all, Kale was exactly how Levy remembered him, right down to the dark grey suit.

“The apple tree, I mean,” Kale continued, his voice smooth as pure satin. He reached up and plucked a ripe, round, red apple from one of the lower branches, brought it to his nose to examine it, grinned in satisfaction, and rubbed the skin along the sleeve of his jacket. “It’s simply beautiful this time of year. Of course, you already knew that.”

As he addressed her, Levy’s stomach turned to ice. Her limbs were frozen, in fear or shock she couldn’t tell, and her throat felt like it was full of sand.

Kale sunk his teeth into the delicious fruit, clear juice dripping from the corner of his mouth to his chin, which he wiped away casually. He trained his eyes on Levy then, appraising her with them, making her feel like he was mentally undressing her, stripping her of everything she’d built over the years. She fought the urge to shudder.

“It’s been a very long time, my sweet little Levy.” He held out his hand, the plucked fruit cradled lifelessly in his large palm, the bite mark reminding her of a bullet wound in soft flesh. “Apple?”


	7. Chapter 7

Levy swallowed the urge to bat the apple away from her as though it were this rotten, disgusting thing. Kale’s arm never wavered, nor did his smile, as the apple stayed perfectly poised in his palm.

“No?” He asked eventually, retracting his hand and tightening his grip on the fruit. He then winked at Levy, raising his arm casually and in one fluid movement tossed the apple into the fish pond. It landed with a splash that Levy could feel on the cold skin of her legs, the little ball of red bobbing up and down on the surface as the koi fish came to investigate.

She was here. He was here. This was happening. Levy was in shock.

“You know, it’s an astonishing coincidence that you’re here, my sweet.” Kale continued, rubbing his hands together to clear the juice. His demeanor was so calm and collected; it was intimidating to be near. “I was just looking at your file and pondering over the blank space next to ‘location’.”

He held up a finger suddenly, dipping his head to his chest and reaching his other hand into his jacket. He rummaged around for a moment before producing a bundle of papers that bore an unsettling resemblance to the document wall from hell they’d stumbled across earlier.

“Here it is,” He mumbled triumphantly, leafing through the thin pages with a familiarity that set Levy’s nerves on edge. “Janessa McGarden, spouse: Ethanial McGarden, children: Levy McGarden, location: unknown.” Kale pursed his lips, his eyebrows furrowing in discontent. “Now isn’t that ugly? I have every other line filled out perfectly, but you managed to slip away.”

He folded his arms, the stack of papers tucked safely under his elbow. Levy watched, shell shocked, as his eyes locked with hers, amusement and intrigue shining in them. “Do tell me, where have you been all these years?”

Levy was struck for a moment at being asked a direct question, but obediently she turned, displaying her Fairy Tail guild mark for Kale to see.

“Fairy Tail?” Kale said aloud, the tone of his voice making Levy turn around to face him again. His eyes were wide with genuine surprise, his lips pressed together in an emotion she didn’t recognize. Finally, after a moment of silence, the tension on Kale’s face broke and he burst into a rowdy, boisterous laughter that shook his whole frame.

“All these years!” He gasped, gripping his stomach in delight, “I’ve scoured the _world_ for you. All the searching, all the efforts, all the money I’ve spent trying to track you down and you’ve been practically next door!”

His laughter picked up again, this time sparking a small flame of life back into Levy. She frowned, bordering on offended, as Kale continued to find amusement in his predicament.

“I’ll give you this,” He admitted, once his fit had subsided, “You’ve earned my respect. I never thought you’d join a guild, let alone one with such a reputation.” Kale straightened, fixing his jacket and wiping a solitary tear from the corner of his eye. “The last time I saw you, you had no fight in you at all.” The ghost of a sickening smirk pulled at his lips as he eyed her, remembering what Levy would do anything to forget. “At least, not in my _experience_.”

Gajeel seethed in silence as Kale and Levy bantered, if he could call it that. It was more like Kale was talking down to Levy and she was taking it, unsure if she was allowed to speak up. It was maddening, to sit still while Kale seemed to be _trying_ to piss him off.

Gajeel could almost hear Levy’s shaking as Kale continued to talk. He was speaking of the garden now, how beautiful it was, and how he’d acquired each piece, but Gajeel wasn’t listening. He was glancing at Levy out of the corner of his eye, waiting for her to make a move. They hadn’t agreed on a strategy before bursting in here, but Gajeel had assumed the role of back up. He wouldn’t do anything without Levy’s go ahead, but he was beginning to wonder if that would ever come.

Maybe he’d underestimated the effects this man had on her. It was like she was frozen, unsure of even her own thoughts. Meanwhile an endless supply of rage was building in Gajeel, threatening to burst with every word Kale spat. He was sure of only one thing: he wanted to kill this bastard, and he may even be able to do it.

“I hope you don’t mind my saying, Levy,” Kale paused with his hand on a pansy. He was speaking so casually, like he was meeting an old friend for dinner, but Gajeel could hear the malice behind his words. There was no doubt of the evil this man was capable of, although he did a good job of hiding it. “You’re so much like your mother. You know she came to see me? Oh when was it… a year ago? Around then.”

Levy’s shoulders tensed, almost imperceptibly, but Gajeel caught it and he was positive Kale had as well.

“Lovely woman,” Kale mused, fingering the delicate petals of the flower with an indifferent curiosity. “Not the brightest, but she loved you very much.”

“What did you do to her?”

The sudden venom in Levy’s voice gave Kale pause. He blinked up at her in surprise, with a hint of something that resembled pride, before answering her question in an abstract way.

“I gave her what I thought she wanted,” His words whipped through Levy like ice- that simple phrase could mean any number of things, and none of them were good. Levy could see her mother, small and frail, kneeling before Kale and powerless to stop any sick deed he may have performed-

She had to stop. Her stomach rolled and she began to urge, her eyelids slipping shut. Kale grinned.

“I truly am glad you’re here, Bluebell.” Kale turned away from her at last, gesturing to the far wall that was not steel, as she’d originally assessed, but a large mirror. It made the room look far larger than she’d thought, but as Kale made some sort of signal to the mirror, she guessed it was actually reflective glass.

She was proven right when a hidden door slid open and three men appeared carrying wicker chairs and a glass topped table.

“We didn’t agree to company,” Gajeel snarled, speaking for the first time since Kale had appeared, balling his hands into fists. Kale ignored him easily, instructing the lackeys on where he would like the table placed.

“We haven’t talked in so long,” Kale drawled, dismissing his men once he was satisfied that they’d done their jobs to his liking. “I was hoping you’d do me the honour of engaging in some friendly conversation.”

Although his words were harmless, their implications were anything but. Kale was not asking, and Gajeel didn’t need to know him to understand that. He glanced again at Levy, waiting for some indication on what he should do. Levy remained stoic as she took a seat, apparently also understanding that Kale’s invitation was in fact a demand. Gajeel ground his teeth together angrily; he wasn’t a patient man. If Levy didn’t take command soon, he would do it himself.

“There’s a good girl,” Kale cooed, lacing his fingers in front of him. “It’s good to see that those ruffians didn’t soil you beyond repair. You were such an obedient pet, most of the time.”

Gajeel growled.

Kale’s eyebrows knitted. With reluctance, as well as a hint of surprise, his gaze slid to Gajeel.

“I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure.” His analytic eyes scanned Gajeel quickly, compiling an impression that Gajeel couldn’t decipher. “You’re the… guard dog, is that right?”

“You can hope that’s all I am to her,” Gajeel snapped, struggling to keep his voice even. “But you’re in for a slap in the face.”

Kale remained calm, continuing to assess Gajeel. The scrutiny made him uncomfortable, but he refused to give Kale the satisfaction of seeing him squirm.

“I see,” He sighed eventually, pinching his brow in the first sign of annoyance Gajeel had seen from him. “Well, if you don’t mind, I’m trying to catch up with my old friend. You may wait outside if you’re not going to keep quiet.”

“The hell I will,” Gajeel slammed his fist on the table, making the glass shudder. Kale winced, but not in fear. Gajeel knew better. Kale was simply worried for his furniture.

“You will,” Kale repeated calmly, his eyes slipping to Levy. “She will tell you to.”

“If you think I’m going to stand here and let you speak for her,” Gajeel gripped the edge of the table, his knuckled turning white, “You’ll be on the ground so fast you won’t have time to-”

“Stop it, Gajeel.”

He froze. The quiet whisper had barely reached his ears, but the small sound had been enough to stop him.

He turned to face Levy. She had folded her hands in her lap, lacing her fingers together to stop them from shaking.

“Levy-?”

“Sit down,” Levy whispered again, her eyes locked firmly on the ground. Gajeel was too shocked to respond, too shocked to feel anger. Instead he blinked at her, waiting for the explanation. Waiting for the reveal. Waiting for _something._

“The walls are made of magic nullifying metal,” Levy continued, her voice catching. “That’s why he’s so calm. We can’t touch him.”

The words sank in slowly, resonating in Gajeel’s skull with painful clarity.

Levy was right, of course. He hadn’t felt right since they’d entered the garden, but he’d assumed it was caused by being here, by facing this man. He hadn’t stopped to properly assess the situation. It was a rookie mistake, one that he shouldn’t have made.

But he’d made it, and cursing himself wouldn’t change that. It didn’t stop the string of expletives that left his mouth in a rush, betraying his emotions to Kale in a way that he wasn’t particularly comfortable with.

That was why Levy was being so calm. That was why she looked so defeated.

Gajeel bit his lip. Until he thought of another plan, they’d have to play along with Kale’s games. Sure, he could probably win in a fist fight against the guy- in fact, he was sure he could. Kale wasn’t his worry, however. The multitude of guards lurking behind the two-way mirror made him more than a little uncomfortable.

Hating every moment, Gajeel took a seat beside Levy.

Kale smiled pleasantly, relieved that he no longer had to acknowledge Gajeel’s presence. Instead he returned his gaze to Levy, picking up where he’d left off.

“I always liked you, you know.” He admitted. “Even before you came to me. There was always something about you that struck me.”

Kale reminisced, regaling Levy with praise for the quiet way she had about her as a child, the qualities that drew him to her and his sadness when she left. Gajeel tried not to listen. If he did, he may compromise their position even worse than it already was.

Instead, he busied himself with developing an escape plan. Seeing the way that Levy crumbled under Kale’s dominating presence convinced him that he’d been right before, she wasn’t ready for this. They didn’t prepare enough. They didn’t plan, they weren’t going to win this. She wasn’t going to win this.

Through the mirror were approximately twenty soldiers. He couldn’t take them all without his magic, and getting his magic back would mean leaving the garden. The soldiers would stop him before he even got close to the mirror, so that route was certainly out.

The door behind him had better odds. They’d come in that way, and he could find their way out if he worked backwards. Unfortunately, that door was also surrounded by soldiers and he had a feeling it had been locked since they’d entered. Still, the soldiers couldn’t see through that door, so he may be able to bust out and take them down before they realised what was happening.

That was looking like his best shot. If he could clear a path, they could run. They could regroup. They could try again. Next time they wouldn’t be stupid. Next time they would win.

But what about Levy?

She had turned to stone as Kale talked, tuning out his words. Gajeel had never seen Levy quite like this. She was always quiet, but this was different. This was… unsettling.

He would have to make sure she got out first. He couldn’t trust her to take care of herself, not when Kale was present. If he ran, Gajeel wasn’t sure Levy would follow. The whole scenario turned his stomach and made his blood boil.

“But now you’re home!” Kale announced suddenly, loudly, breaking Gajeel’s line of thought. Kale glanced at him once more, as though he knew what Gajeel had been planning. Gajeel returned his hard stare.

“All of our issues can finally be put behind us,” Kale continued, returning his gaze to Levy. “Of course that’s not to say that we’ll forget about this entirely, you’ll have to be properly punished for abandoning me. You really did hurt my feelings, Sweetheart.”

The sadness in Kale’s voice was almost genuine. He stood from his chair, his movements relaxed but confident, and circled to stand behind Levy. He placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

“You won’t be able to return to your former post, I’m afraid.” Kale sounded as though he were breaking the news about a relative’s poor health. “At least not right away. That position is reserved for employees in the highest possible standing. You were only an exception once, and clearly that was a poor decision.”

Levy flinched.

“You’ll work your way up,” Kale stated, listing the details of Levy’s ‘employment’ conversationally. “Begin with Hammond, you remember Hammond, and serve him for four weeks. After that you’ll move up to an executive, another man that I trust. I trust Hammond, as you well know. Since we have such a sweet history together, I can’t bring myself to make you move through all of the rankings, so two will have to suffice. You see,”

Kale jerked Levy’s shoulder suddenly, turning her to face him. He gripped her chin with his other hand, holding her face hostage. She bit her tongue harshly to keep from crying out.

“No matter how hard I try, no matter what I do, no matter who I replace you with,” Kale snarled, dripping venom, “I can’t get you out of my damn head. I got drunk off of your pure, virgin cunt, and you will-”

A resounding _crack_ filled the room as Gajeel’s fist collided with Kale’s jaw.

Levy expected Kale to reel backwards after taking a direct hit from someone of Gajeel’s size, but his head only snapped to the side, his hand pulling free of Levy’s chin, as he righted himself. Levy didn’t hear the soldiers arriving, but suddenly they were surrounded.

Gajeel’s chest was heaving, his nostrils flaring in anger. Fuck this prick. He tightened his fists, seething at the thought of what this bastard had done to Levy- had done to many girls throughout his years. He’d had enough.

Kale methodically worked his jaw, feeling for fractures or breaks. Once he was satisfied, he turned a tolerant smile onto Gajeel.

“I can see my hopes for a pleasant chat in the garden have effectively been dashed,” He sighed, returning to the calm, friendly demeanor he’d displayed until recently, “I’ll have to take my leave of you, Dog. Levy and I have business to discuss.”

Hands. Gripping Gajeel’s arms. Pushing him to the ground.

Gajeel hauled off and punched three men in quick succession, knocking them out with minimal effort. If he had been planning an escape, it hadn’t included this. Another guard grabbed his shoulder and Gajeel whirled, kicking out at the smaller man’s legs. He fell, his nose breaking against a garden stone.

“Come on,” Gajeel roared, feeling more like Natsu than he was comfortable admitting, “Do your worst!”

He was rushed again, by more men than he could confidently handle. The fight turned into a mess of arms and legs, punches and kicks, head-butts and the occasional bite (Who the hell had bitten him?!). Gajeel swung wildly, knowing that he was fighting a losing battle.

A sharp pain on the back of his skull told him that he’d been hit. He stumbled, his vision suddenly swirling, as the surrounding guards moved to immobilize him. He fought for a moment longer, stringing curses together out of words he didn’t know he knew, until he could no longer get a leg up.

His chin smashed into the grass below, jarring his brain as he worked to regain his senses. There was a loud ringing in his ears- never a good sign- and his vision remained blurry. He felt painful grips all along his arms and legs, the guards pinning his body against the soft ground.

Gajeel was enraged. He was also a bit embarrassed at losing, but that wasn’t the important thing.

Suddenly realising that he had lost sight of Kale and Levy in the fray, he jerked his chin up, earning a flurry of grunts and yells as the guards mistook his actions as a new attempt to best them. Gajeel scanned the room, finally finding the wicker table and chairs where they’d been only moments ago.

The table remained undisturbed, but two of the three chairs had been overturned. Kale was nowhere to be seen, and Levy-

Levy was gone.

.

Levy trailed behind Kale like a small child, her hand resting limply in his firm grip. When the guards had attacked Gajeel, Kale grabbed Levy and they made their exit, diligently followed by three of Kale’s personal security.

“Now,” Kale rolled his shoulders, brushing the dirt from his suit. “We finally have some quiet so we can talk properly.”

Levy made no sound, staring stubbornly at the floor moving swiftly beneath her feet.

“Hammond will be good to you,” Kale assured her, his grip tightening on her hand in a way that, to an outsider, would look like gentle comfort. Levy knew better. “And you’ll be with me again before you know it, I promise you.”

The long hallway was familiar to her. She knew it. She’d walked it before. This was the hallway she’d made her escape from the first time. Or perhaps she was deluding herself into thinking it was. Either way, the solid lump that had formed in her stomach grew larger.

Gajeel was back in the garden. The guards had no doubt overpowered him by now- Gajeel was strong, but they outnumbered him. He would be scared for her, and his emotions would be clouding his judgement.

Levy didn’t have that problem. Kale had unsettled her, and she’d reverted to a quiet, childish persona. More than that, she’d returned to the way she was when Kale had first met her, and he was clearly pleased with the expectations he’d set for her.

She was not so pleased.

Kale had bested them. He’d known they were coming, he’d set up the garden to ensure his victory. He had prepared where they had not, and he’d won because of it. Levy fought back a morbid smirk.

Kale had made one crucial mistake.

While, on the outside, Levy remained the quiet, shy girl Kale remembered, on the inside she was different. Yes, there was fear, yes there was doubt, yes there was an icy lump in her abdomen that screamed at her that she was weak, that she couldn’t do this, and yes, she was almost numb to the pain of being with Kale once again.

But.

Deeper than that, deeper than the fear, a flame sparked. A flicker, no larger than the glow of an extinguished candle wick, began at the base of her spine and inched into her throat, gaining momentum and size. By the time the flicker reached her heart, it was a roaring fire- one she kept hidden behind her blank stare.

Kale had taken her outside of the garden.

Levy could feel her magic rushing back to her.

Kale was still talking, lost in the success of his scheme, lost in the victory he falsely claimed. Levy’s smirk blinked to the surface.

She thought of the apple. She thought of the tree. She thought of her mother. She thought of Gajeel.

The tables had turned. Kale just didn’t know it yet.


	8. Chapter 8

_Damnit!_

Gajeel’s fist slammed against the faux mirror, the glass shuddering under the force. He couldn’t break it, he’d already tried and was met with hushed snickers from the other side. The doors were locked, the guards posted outside, and he was left utterly alone.

“Damnit,” He cursed aloud, taking a violent step away from the mirror at last. Kicking and screaming had gotten him nowhere, and bargaining was out of the picture. What was he left with?

Nothing, he thought bitterly. He was left with absolutely nothing.

Gajeel wasn’t stupid. He’d never been an intellectual, but he wasn’t an idiot. If he thought for a long time, he would come up with an escape plan. He knew he would.

But he didn’t have a long time.

Levy was gone, no doubt with Kale, and Gajeel had no idea what that meant for her immediate safety. It seemed like Kale had no interest in her at the moment, but who knew how long that would last? He needed to get out of here, and he didn’t have the time to think about how.

Levy would know what to do. If she were here- and functioning, Gajeel added with a twitch of discomfort- she would come up with the perfect plan. He couldn’t figure out how she did that, no matter how hard he tried.

With a grunt, Gajeel fell to the ground with his legs crossed. He folded his arms, closed his eyes, and began to think.

.

Kale led Levy through another hallway, a string of offices, and something that resembled a cafeteria, before finally stopping at a large iron door with running the length of it, as well as a tiny reinforced window that was above eye level. Looking at it made Levy uncomfortable.

“Here we are,” Kale announced proudly, clapping his hands together and releasing Levy’s in the process. “This is a new addition to the company, Levy. You won’t recognise it, I’m sure.”

Levy was still staring at the door. Gajeel could probably eat it, if he felt so inclined.

“I had it installed after your escape, actually.” Kale mused, ignoring her apparent lack of interest. “You were the inspiration, saucy little minx that you are. You see,”

Guards shuffled behind her, passing something through their ranks until it reached the guard behind her and to her left, where it stopped.

“After your outburst, I decided that I needed better security for new arrivals. In particular, the more spirited ones needed time to themselves to prepare for their employment.” Kale’s tone was conversational, as always, but his voice held pride and tightly controlled excitement. The sound made Levy increasingly nervous.

“So I had a contractor come in and design this little beauty,” He patted the cold frame affectionately. “We call it _Scripta_ , after you.”

Levy blinked. How did Kale know she was a solid script mage? He hadn’t seen her fight, at least not before today. He would have no way of knowing that that was what she’d become after all these years-

She paused.

Scripta. _Hyacinthoides non-scripta_. Bluebell.

Levy nodded sharply, acknowledging Kale’s expectant eye. She should’ve expected that.

Satisfied with her understanding, Kale held out his hand to the aforementioned guard. An arm appeared next to Levy’s head, holding a set of large keys in thick, sausage fingers.

The fingers dropped the keys into Kale’s hand and then retracted, brushing Levy’s shoulder in the process. The touch lingered, turning Levy’s stomach. She squeezed her eyes shut to stop the bile that surged into her throat.

Kale paused his examination of the keys to examine Levy’s face, the sour expression she made, and the quick retracting of the guard’s hand.

“You’re dismissed,” Kale said icily. He took a step forward, snaking his arm around Levy’s torso and pulling her towards him. He was warm, but the warmth burned Levy’s skin as she stumbled into him, gritting her teeth and struggling to be patient.

The guards hesitated, feeling out Kale’s quiet displeasure, but ultimately deciding that their jobs- or their lives- were on the line if they disobeyed him. The company left.

“I apologize, Levy darling.” Kale soothed, his hand moving to the back of her head, his fingers passing through her hair comfortingly. “It’s so difficult to find good help these days. Let’s continue, shall we?”

Kale released her long enough to insert the key in the lock, release the handle, push the heavy door open, and then he was guiding Levy into the darkness.

.

Garden.

He was in a garden.

He was in a garden alone.

He was in a garden alone and getting frustrated.

He was in a garden alone and getting frustrated and-

“Bah!” Gajeel slapped himself in the forehead with enough force to startle a nearby bird. He’d been thinking of an escape plan by compiling the little information he had and repeating it to himself, with no success. The bird chirped indignantly at his outburst, fluttering away from the rude fellow who’d disturbed his meal.

Gajeel sighed. He’d been listening intently for any sign of where Levy had gone, but he couldn’t hear her. The walls were thick, not thick enough to deter a dragon slayer but certainly thick enough to muffle noises of regular volume.

The bird continued to chirp as though it were telling Gajeel right where he could go.

He’d already explored his surroundings to the best of his abilities, avoiding plants that didn’t smell right, and had come up with nothing. He was looking for a vent, or a pipe system, something with a connection to the outside world that would help him. He’d turned up empty, much to his chagrin.

The guards hadn’t made any contact with him either, not since the snickers he’d heard earlier. Gajeel was being ignored to the point that he was practically non-existent.

At least the bird acknowledged his presence.

Wait. The bird…?

Gajeel had initially thought the bird had simply stopped chirping, but after a few moments of intense listening, he discovered that it was no longer in the garden at all. That meant that it had to have left.

That meant there was a way out.

Gajeel stood, tilting his chin to squint at the ceiling. It was high, impossibly high for a normal person. Luckily Gajeel was not a normal person. At first he didn’t see anything of interest, but after some careful scanning Gajeel managed to locate a small opening in the ceiling admitting sunlight and, he grinned, small woodland creatures.

He couldn’t believe he hadn’t realised it sooner. Sunlight was bouncing off of all of the walls, it had to have been coming from somewhere. Pushing his disappointment in himself aside, he felt a surge of pride.

He had his way out.

.

The iron door shut snugly behind them, the metal key screeching as it locked the two of them inside. There was a brief moment where they were doused in darkness, but it was ended with the lighting of a lantern behind her.

“It’s a little claustrophobic for my tastes,” Kale admitted with a shrug that Levy could nearly hear, “But it was an unfortunate necessity for its purpose.”

With the low lighting, Levy could look around and make out the basics of the room.

There was no bed, as she suspected, but there was a pile of rags in the corner that could serve as a place to sleep. There was a low-lying sink, a wooden chair, and a grubby mirror hanging from one wall. The room itself was made entirely of iron or steel, she couldn’t tell exactly which, and felt desperately cold.

It was a cell. A cell and a death sentence all rolled into one.

“Every girl who stays here is washed and groomed upon leaving, of course,” Kale nodded towards the filthy pile of rags. “I only accept the highest quality goods; this is simply a temporary solution.”

He paced the room, barely looking at Levy.

“Once their stay in Scripta is over, they’re moved to much more comfortable accommodations in the basement. They remain there until they’re shipped out, and I’d like to think they’re quite happy while they’re here. But perhaps that’s too confident of me.”

Arrogant, Levy mentally corrected. It was too arrogant of him.

“You will only stay here for a short while,” Kale paused to examine himself in the mirror. “Being a veteran, after all. And you won’t be living with the other girls once you leave here. My personal employees have their own rooms, and yours will be right next to mine, naturally.”

Levy looked at the floor. She was fighting to keep her lunch in her stomach.

“Anything you need, you may have.” Kale assured her, as though it were her biggest concern. “Do you have any requests?”

“What happened to my mother?”

The question slipped out before Levy could think about it. She didn’t know if she really wanted the answer, but she needed to know. Kale contemplated her request for a moment, scanning her with his eyes again. She refused to squirm.

“The answer may upset you, love.” Kale’s voice was sympathetic and low, genuine sadness seeping into his tone. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

Levy remained stubbornly quiet.

With a sigh, Kale began his answer.

“She came to me, just as I said.” He turned away from her, staring at the wall. “She wanted to know where you were, and simply wouldn’t accept that I didn’t know. She kept returning to me no matter how many times I threw her out, and eventually I offered her a deal.

“I reasserted that I didn’t know where you were. She seemed to be starting to believe me, so I suggested that I would stop looking for you if she agreed to take your place.”

Levy pictured her mother, scared and desperate, kneeling before Kale and begging him for mercy for her daughter.

“She took the deal.”

“She’s here?” Levy flicked her gaze to Kale, still staring at the wall above the pile of rags. His jaw twitched, as though he didn’t want to share the next piece of information with her, but had no choice.

“Was, Bluebell.” Kale whispered sadly, raising the lantern he was holding and illuminating the wall before him. “She _was_ here.”

Blinking, Levy took in the sight before her.

There were papers on the wall, ones she hadn’t seen before in the dark, but they weren’t like the wall in Kale’s office that they’d stumbled on before. There were only seven or so pieces of paper tacked to the metal here, and all of them were drawings.

The first was an elegant sketch of Levy as she’d been many years ago, a bright eyed young girl with a soft smile. The picture was signed by her mother.

The next was a projection of what Levy might look like now, and barring a few errors it was fairly spot on. That one was coloured with cheap pastels.

The next was a sketch of Levy with her parents, outside of their house, picking apples.

The next was of her father.

The next was of her mother, alone in this room, crying.

The next was of Levy, alone in this room, crying.

The last picture, placed high on the wall, the farthest from the pile of rags, was a barely interpretable abstract piece. The pencil marks were harsh and ragged, the colours dark and fearful. It looked like a face, but Levy couldn’t be sure. Scratched below the drawing were the pitiful words ‘Let me die. Please, let me die.’

Levy’s heart began to beat audibly, slamming against her ribcage with enough force to snap her bones. Her mother was dead. Kale had killed her through neglect and malice.

Kale waited for her to process the harsh information, his expression patient and etched with pity. She wanted to punch him, no that was too easy. She wanted to plunge a knife into his heart, that would be more fitting. Instead, tears began to pour down her cheeks.

Kale let her cry. He waited, circling back to the door in preparation to leave her to her sorrows, but before he did Levy cleared her throat.

If she let Kale walk away at this moment, he would win. She would lose her chance, and possibly be stuck here forever. She wasn’t prepared to let that happen. Her heart ached, and she felt nauseous, but she could grieve later.

She couldn’t lose it. Not yet.

Shaking her head, Levy lifted her chin and unclenched her fists.

Kale watched her, surprised and impressed, as she collected herself. This was certainly his Levy, but she had grown so much. She was a woman now, no longer a little girl. He grinned.

Levy was lost in concentration, focussing on keeping it together, when Kale’s arms wrapped around her waist. She inhaled sharply, her shoulders going rigid. They folded over her stomach, his face pressing against the side of her neck.

Her heart began to beat faster, but it wasn’t time yet.

“I’ve missed you,” He whispered, inhaling deeply. Levy felt a shiver ripple through her spine as his words caressed her ear. “It hurts me, you know. Picturing you with Hammond…”

Kale’s lips kissed along her neck, his hands sliding to her hips.

Not yet.

“You will always be mine,” Kale’s teeth sunk into the soft flesh of her earlobe; Levy fought back a yelp of pain. “Hammond can wait an hour or two.”

Levy struggled to keep her expression even as he turned her, slowly, to face him. She held his lustful gaze as he ran his hands over her body, one coming to rest on her ass and giving a nearly painful squeeze.

Not yet.

Levy bit her lip, refusing to break his eye contact. With soft sigh, Kale dipped his head, kissing her gently on the mouth.

Not yet.

Levy remained still, neither fighting or complying, as Kale worked his lips against her, willing them to respond to his kiss. His hands, one still gripping her ass and the other now wrapped around her waist, pulled her small body flush against his. Only when the ice in her heart had solidified, did Levy finally relent and begin to kiss this man. This man who’d ruined everything. This man who’d killed her family.

Kale groaned into her mouth, relieved that he was finally getting what he wanted. He began to paw at her, gripping the hem of her skirt and lifting-

Now.

Levy shoved Kale in the chest, bringing her knee up until it collided, roughly, with his crotch.

Kale stumbled backwards, cursing in pain, as Levy brought her leg up again, kicking him in the jaw with the top of her foot.

He fell against the door, his body weight hitting the metal and producing a terrible crashing sound. The guards would be here soon, Levy knew, but she had time.

“What the fuck-?”

“Shut the hell up,” Levy whispered, her fist shaking with barely controlled rage. Kale stared at her, his pale eyes wide with shock. She’d taken him off guard, she knew, and that didn’t happen very often. The moment would pass.

As she predicted, Kale composed himself in seconds, righting his suit as he stood. Her attack had knocked him to the ground, soiling his jacket with dust. His expression twisted into one of malice, no longer fighting to maintain a pleasant demeanor.

“You’re adorable, Bluebell,” He acknowledged her with a tilt of his head. His voice was no longer smooth, but roughed as though it had been skimmed with sandpaper. “You think you can take me on all by yourself?”

“I know I can,” Levy snapped viciously, her eyes brimming with angry tears. Her arm whipped before her in a flash, leaving a trail of spiked letters that rushed towards Kale, thorny vines erupting from the barely legible text and targeting his chest. “This is for my mother, you bastard!”

.

A loud crash.

He didn’t need his dragon slayer hearing to detect it, it was loud enough to spook the guards that were clamouring to grab hold of him.

Gajeel perched atop the apple tree, balancing precariously on its slim branches. He could make the jump to the window from here, if only he could shake the guards reaching for his ankles.

He’d kicked some of them away, but a few resilient motherfuckers remained. The crash had come at a perfect time, scattering the stubborn ones and allowing Gajeel to make his jump.

His fingers hooked on the edge of the window, and he had to dig his nails into the concrete to keep from slipping. With a great pull, Gajeel vaulted his body onto the roof and finally felt his magic begin to return.

Resisting the urge to celebrate, he took off in the direction of the crash. He may not know exactly what had cause it, but it was his best chance of finding Levy and finally- _finally_ \- ending this.


	9. Chapter 9

The outside air hit Gajeel’s face at a welcome relief- he was beginning to feel cramped inside Kale’s garden. The commotion he’d heard earlier was gaining momentum; guards were racing towards the source of the noise and, most importantly, he sensed Levy’s magic coming from the center of it all.

_That’s my girl._

He’d been worried, very worried in fact, that Levy was snapping under Kale’s influence. He hadn’t been sure if she would be able to pull it together long enough to take action. The blank look in her eyes, the whimpering fear in her voice, the way she held herself to make her seem smaller, everything led him to believe that Levy wasn’t ready for this, that she couldn’t face Kale now.

He’d been wrong.

Levy had fooled even him with her act, and he was both ashamed and proud of that fact. Kale hadn’t seen her attack coming, and neither had Gajeel, but the latter was much more excited about the development.

Dodging a series of vents, Gajeel came to the edge of the building. He paused momentarily, listening for the details of what was going on inside. From what he could tell, there were approximately five people in a cluster- Levy among them, as well as Kale- all clamouring for some sort of order and control.

Gajeel cracked his knuckles. He was going to enjoy this fight.

With a great push, he flung himself over the side of the building and, gripping the edge to steer his body weight in the proper direction, flipped into the large window.

The glass shattered around him, accenting his entrance with a shower of fractured pieces. Gajeel shifted his skin to iron, the shards bouncing off of his shining armour. If the situation wasn’t so serious, he would’ve bragged about how impressive it must have looked.

The guards turned to stare at him. They were trying to break into an iron door, banging on the metal, ramming it with wooden clubs, smashing the hinges, any manner of attempt to get inside. The whole scene would’ve been comical if Gajeel hadn’t been so focused on finding Levy. The blue-haired mage was nowhere in sight and, after a quick sniff for conformation, must have been in the locked room.

“Alright dicks,” Gajeel smirked, cracking his knuckles. The guards sank into a fighting stance, preparing for the oncoming attack. “You’re in my way. I can’t have that.”

One lunged, and then another, and then all of the guards were charging at Gajeel like raging bulls, brandishing a variety of weapons at his torso.

Gajeel smirked.

The closest guard’s sword bounced off of Gajeel’s chest with a loud _clang_ , sending a shock wave through his arms and knocking him backwards. Gajeel resisted a chuckle- now was not the time- and batted away another guard with a towering iron pole sprouting from his arm.

“He’s got his magic back!”

Gajeel resisted the urge to roll his eyes. These boys were a lot dumber than he’d given them credit for, and that was the lowest insult he could’ve given them. In a matter of minutes, Gajeel had swept them all out of his way and had a clear path to the door that would lead him to Levy.

He considered just smashing it down, but that was a waste of perfectly good iron. Instead he gripped it and pulled just enough to get a protruding piece and began to chow down.

It was a hearty meal, but it also saddened him. The door tasted of sadness and despair, mere hints of the despicable activities that went on in this room over the years. Gajeel grit his teeth and downed the metal in record time.

Pushing himself into the room, his eyes finally found Levy.

She was in the center of the room, barraging Kale with spell after spell of various kinds, tears streaming from her cheeks and her hair whipping about her head in a frenzy.

Gajeel paused.

He’d never seen Levy like this; angry, hurt, furious, determined, and- he never thought he’d say it- fearsome. Levy was stringing words together that he didn’t even know, resulting in a medley of magic that presented itself as a golden glow assaulting Kale’s still figure. Levy was screaming at him, profanities that threatened to make _Gajeel_ blush.

What had happened in his absence?

Levy seemed to have snapped, but knowing her this wouldn’t have occurred without cause. Gajeel took a step towards her, intending to stop her, but then he caught a whiff of something in the air.

He was close enough now that he could pinpoint scents, and this one set his insides ablaze. Levy smelled different, not like her normal scent of dusty books and daisies. She also bore a disgusting, acidic scent that clung to her hips, her neck, and her mouth.

She smelled like Kale.

Gajeel’s fists tightened at his sides. That bastard. _That bastard!_ While Gajeel had been stuck in the garden of Hell, this son of a bitch had been up here putting his hands on his Levy. He had no idea how far the asshole had gotten, but it wasn’t as far as he had last time, which was of little relief to Gajeel.

It shouldn’t have happened at all. He was _right here_ with her for Christ’s sake! Gajeel should’ve kept her safe. He’d failed her again.

Working his jaw, Gajeel stepped up behind Levy. Her eyes were closed, her eyebrows knitted together, her face red. She looked absolutely distraught, and it killed Gajeel to see her this way.

Gently, he placed a hand on her shoulder.

Levy whirled, all of her magic ceasing at once. The room went dark, drowning them in blackness except for the light pouring in from the door. She turned her face up to see Gajeel properly, the defensive set to her shoulders relaxing once she registered who he was.

“Gajeel-!” She choked, her voice cracking on the word. It tugged at his heart.

“Are you alright?” He asked her, his own voice low for fear of breaking. He hated seeing Levy like this, hated seeing her hurting. What felt like a long, long time ago, Levy told him he was her family. She was right. She was his family. And he would fiercely protect his family.

Levy nodded silently, clearly faking for his benefit. Gajeel shook his head, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at her. Even in the face of everything, she was trying to remain strong. She had every reason to be upset, every reason to break down, and here she was putting on a brave face.

He would never get over Levy as long as he lived, that much he knew for sure. She was fascinating and strong, incredible and brave, and everything Gajeel pretended to be.

Pretended.

That word hit him harder than he thought it would. He hadn’t even intended to think it, but once he had he couldn’t take it back.

This mission had been revealing for him in the worst ways; he’d found out things about Levy, things about himself, things about the past that he’d rather forget-

But now was not the time.

There was a grunt from somewhere behind Levy, from the crumpled mass on the floor.

Kale was pulling himself to his feet.

Levy turned back to him, her eyes wide with barely contained terror. Kale staggered to his feet, his arms and legs covered in bruises and burns from Levy’s onslaught. He cracked his arms back into place where they’d dislocated, stretched his arms above his head, and rolled his shoulders.

“Well now,” He droned, his smile turning manic. “That was refreshing.”

Levy’s mouth worked, but no sound came out.

“How is this possible?” Gajeel cursed. He’d seen the tail end of Levy’s assault, and any normal man would be dead. Worse than dead, they’d be absolutely obliterated. Kale was working his muscles like he’d just endured a fairly intense gym workout, not an attempt on his life.

Kale wasn’t a wizard. He didn’t have magic. How in the hell was he doing this?

“It doesn’t matter,” Gajeel growled, reassuring Levy with his anger. “We don’t have to kill you to take you down.”

“Yes we do.”

Levy’s voice surprised him. He glanced down at the little blue haired mage, with her quivering lip and tear-stained face, and he saw murderous hate. He’d never seen that expression on Levy before- it twisted her features in a way that he never wanted to see again as long as he lived.

“Levy,” He began, trying in vain to soothe her. She cut him off with a whisper, uttered nearly silently beneath her breath.

“He killed my mom.”

Now he understood. Everything clicked into place with that one phrase, that small admittance explained all that Gajeel needed to know. He seethed, wondering how this one man- this one, insignificant man- had managed to taint every aspect of Levy’s life. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t _fair._ He’d killed her parents, raped her, put her entire family into poverty, and consumed her nightmares every night for years. Levy was right to want him dead.

But she didn’t, not truly. Gajeel knew that if he let Levy kill him now, she’d never forgive herself.

“We don’t have to kill him,” Gajeel insisted, cutting off Levy’s heated reply. “We _won’t_ kill him.”

Levy bit her tongue. She wanted to retort, she really wanted to throw her morals to the wind and stab Kale through the heart, but deep in her gut she knew Gajeel was right. She knew it, but she didn’t like it.

“We will, however,” Gajeel continued, his voice tinged with sick amusement, “Beat the ever loving _fuck_ out of him.” He turned to Kale then, his iron armor glinting in the low light. “You made one hell of a mistake, asshole.”

“And what was that, hmm?” Kale looked bored, tolerating Gajeel’s banter as though he were an overexcited child.

“You fucked with someone I care about,” Gajeel growled, Levy’s scent mingled with Kale’s still in his nose. “And that right there is as good as a death sentence.”

Before Kale could respond, Gajeel’s fist was shattering his jaw.

.

Levy took a step back and let Gajeel handle the situation from there on out, staring in awe as the battle raged on in front of her.

Kale didn’t fight back at first, he simply took the beating Gajeel was handing to him, laughing as his body was flung around like a ragdoll. His compliance only fuelled Gajeel’s anger, his punches getting harder and harder as time passed.

More guards had shown up, but they were reluctant to engage. They watched their boss getting pummelled, watched this large, black haired man unleash unholy pain on Kale’s pliable body, and they didn’t interfere. Levy kept an eye on them, just in case, but she was fairly sure they knew they were outmatched.

As brutal as Gajeel’s beating was, Levy was used to it. She’d seen Gajeel obliterate opponents before, it was always the same. Impressive as hell, and terrifying, but it wasn’t new.

Levy had been scarier.

She shuddered to think of what she’d done to Kale, the way she’d let her anger get the best of her. That wasn’t what she was like, she was Levy after all. Levy the book worm. Levy the scholar. Levy the quiet. She wasn’t Levy the fearsome.

As much as she tried to convince herself otherwise, Kale deserved to die. The thought scared her, and she never wanted to think it again, but he did. At this very moment, there were people in this building that were taken from their parents. That were abused. Like she’d been.

Gajeel smashed Kale’s skull against the wall, resulting in a loud and resounding bang that shook her. Still, he laughed, blood spurting from his nose and staining his suit.

Why was he so happy?

Levy had already figured out that Kale was immortal. She didn’t know how, and she didn’t know the specifics, but if he was still alive after everything that had already happened, then there was no other explanation. He had some sort of immortality that kept him going.

Was that all?

Kale’s smugness was palpable. There had to be more to it than that. He was grinning like he’d won-

That’s it.

Kale thought he’d won. Levy and Gajeel had come here to kill him, presumably, and now they couldn’t do that. Kale thought that, once again, he’d taken their victory from them.

Levy wouldn’t let that happen. Gajeel raised his fist once more, aiming for Kale’s nose, when Levy suddenly screamed:

“Gajeel, trap him!”

Gajeel reeled, but recovered quickly. He didn’t question Levy’s orders, simply grabbed the nearest piece of metal and warped it into a makeshift cage, pinning Kale’s broken body between it and the wall.

“Couldn’t stand watching him hurt your first love anymore, Bluebell?” Kale spat, saliva and blood dripping from his lips. Levy snapped her teeth together, waving her arm before her one last time on this mission.

“Solid Script: Flare!”

A pillar of dark red light shot forward, snaking through the open door and smashed window, disappearing from their sight.

Silence settled among them as they waited for something to happen. When nothing did, Kale began to cackle.

“I wouldn’t, if I were you.” Levy whispered, silencing him with a dead-eyed stare. “That flare is heading straight for the magic council.”

For the first time since they’d arrived, Kale looked both confused and not just a little bit scared.

“Gajeel was right,” Levy continued, picking her mother’s drawing up from the floor. It hurt her to look at them, but she couldn’t abandon them. She would give them a proper burial when she returned to Magnolia, it was the least she could do. “We can’t kill you. But we can put and end to you.”

“Bluebell-”

“I have nothing more to say to you!” Levy snapped, taking a deliberate step towards the door. “You won’t change. Nothing I say will make any difference, so I’m not going to waste my breath. You’re not worth it.”

Gajeel followed her out into the hall, but not before she uttered one last word to Kale, her parting gift to him.

“Enjoy your life behind bars, asshole.”

.

As they waited, Gajeel and Levy rounded up the guards that hadn’t escaped, all the while keeping tabs on Kale in case he tried to make a run for it. She doubted he would; Gajeel’s metalwork was impressive. He was trapped.

Their next step was to free any prisoners they found. There weren’t many, thankfully, and Levy tried not to think too much while they were doing it, but it was something that she had to do. She couldn’t leave them here, she just couldn’t.

The Magic Council arrived sooner than she would’ve expected, storming the premises after getting the gist of what had happened from Gajeel- Levy refused to speak outside of telling them where they could find the man behind it all.

She watched the Council cuff Kale, throw him in the back of a wagon, and roll away.

As the rickety wooden thing disappeared from her sight, Levy felt a great weight lift from her shoulders. She had done it. She accomplished all she needed to accomplish, and now what was she left with?

Numbness. That’s what she felt. Her limbs were heavy and her heart ached, and she watched Kale’s prisoners get reunited with what family they had left and she hurt, she hurt deeply. She’d lost so much- her dad, her mom, her home, her childhood- that she wasn’t sure how she was still standing. Not anymore.

Gajeel came up behind her, his hand gently laid at the small of her back, and Levy knew that she would be alright. She knew that through the hurt, through the pain, she would make it. She would go on, just like she said she would. She would overcome this, and Kale would never win. He’d lost. She would make sure of it by living. By being happy.

By moving on.

Levy sank to her knees and began to cry.

.

The trip home was long, tiring, and very quiet. Neither Gajeel nor Levy wanted to talk much after the whole ordeal, so when they finally caught sight of Gajeel’s little cottage of a house, the wordlessly made their way inside and got ready for a good night’s sleep.

Levy was feeling good. Despite everything she’d been through, she was feeling alright. She’d been through a lot, and she’d found out some things that would haunt her, but she could finally say that this was over, that everything she’d worked for she’d finally achieved.

She was settled on the bed when Gajeel joined her, his muscles dragging from exhaustion. Levy scooted over to accommodate his bulk, settling into his embrace as he got comfortable.

They didn’t say anything to each other, mostly because nothing needed to be said. They were home, they were safe, and that was all that mattered.

Gajeel pulled her snugly against him, relishing in the knowledge that she would be with him, here, for as long as he needed her to be. He made a promise to himself before they let Nessle; he would never let anything hurt this woman again. Not for as long as he lived.

He placed a soft kiss on her lips, wishing her a good night’s rest, but Levy held fast to him, deepening the kiss as much as he would allow her to do.

Gajeel seemed to toss the idea around in his head for a while before finally allowing her to kiss him, even going as far as to run his fingers through her hair.

This is what she needed, Levy thought happily, just to lose herself in Gajeel for a little while.

She began to slide her small body on top of him, searching for closeness that she couldn’t get from her position, but was stopped by and apprehensive grunt from Gajeel. Levy furrowed her brows, intending to continue the kiss regardless of his silly protests, but Gajeel was having none of it.

He broke away from the lustful kiss, pushing Levy to arm’s length.

“We can’t,” he insisted firmly, more to himself than to Levy. Even still, the blue-haired mage groaned in frustration, sitting upright in the bed and folding her arms over her chest.

“We can’t, really?” She demanded, shooting daggers at him with her glare. “After everything that’s just happened, everything we’ve been through, you’re still going on about this?”

Gajeel winced, but nodded.

“Why?” She snapped, wanting nothing more than for him to actually answer her this time. “Why can’t we?”

“It’s not- it’s a bit- it’s different, ok?” Gajeel mumbled, getting increasingly uncomfortable. He knew he’d have to tell her eventually, but he hadn’t expected it to be so soon.

“Gajeel, what the hell are you talking about?” Levy demanded, her hands planted firmly on her hips. She was so tired of being denied, of being pushed away when she couldn’t understand why.

Gajeel groaned in frustration, his hands knotted in his thick hair. He looked so torn, indecision and longing written plainly on his face; he’d never been so easy to read before. “Look, Levy, it’s not- it’s not simple, ok?”

“What’s not simple- sex in general, or sex with me?” She snapped, folding her arms across her chest again. “Because I think I have the basic idea, Gajeel.”

“It’s not that!” He quipped, huffing. “Sex isn’t the complicated part, Jesus, especially not sex with _you_ ,” he threw his arm out towards her; “it’s sex with _me_ that’s the issue!”

“Well then it’s a good thing you’re not having sex with _you_ , you’d be having sex with _me_.” Levy couldn’t quite understand why there was a difference, but she went along with it, knowing this was further than she’d ever hoped to get in the discussion.

Gajeel raised an eyebrow at her in exasperation. “Ok, it’s not sex with _me_ , exactly; it’s sex with dragon slayers in general. At least-” He paused, suddenly becoming physically uncomfortable. “At least, you know, when feelings are involved.”

He’d hoped Levy would magically interject at that moment, somehow understanding all that he was planning to say without him saying it. With no such luck, she stared at him, waiting for an explanation that he would have to provide. Gajeel sighed.

“Alright, as a dragon slayer, relationships are a little bit different.” He rubbed the back of his neck, relieving some of the sweat that was building there. His heart was still pounding, but for a very different reason. “I can have all the sex I want, with whoever I want, and have it not mean a thing-” His words hastened with a sharp look from Levy “-but I’m not going to do that, obviously, my point is just that- uh- well, with you, having sex would be different.”

“I would hope so,” Levy raised an eyebrow.

“Well, yes different in that kind of way, but that’s not what I mean.” Gajeel grumbled. He was beginning to regret this conversation. “Dragons, by nature, mate for life, and that kind of behaviour gets passed on to dragon slayers. If we… well… ‘mate’ with someone we have feelings for, it’s kind of like sealing the deal… in more ways than one, ya know?

“It’s not like we’d be married or nothing,” He quickly added, before Levy could get a word in, “It’s just that it means a lot more to us. When we mate with someone we love, it’s like, that’s it for us. You’re it, you’re the person I’m devoted to for the rest of my life. So with it being as complicated as all that, I didn’t want to sleep with you before you knew, and I just couldn’t find the right time to tell you about it.”

Levy blinked at him for a few moments, quickly piecing together what he’d said into a coherent picture. After only a few minutes, she began to giggle.

Gajeel felt like his insides were about to explode. She was laughing at him; Damnit, he knew this would happen. He tried desperately to keep any form of blush from his face, but from the increase in Levy’s laughter he doubted he was successful.

“Is that all?” Levy gasped between chuckles, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. “You were worried about Marking me? Gajeel, I’ve known about that for months! I didn’t think you would ever worry about something like that so I didn’t bring it up!”

Gajeel blinked at her harshly, processing the strange string of events that had just transpired.

“You… knew?”

“Of course I knew!” She laughed, placing a hand gently against his cheek. “I’ve been researching dragon slayers for a long time now. Did you really think a book worm like me would’ve been able to leave that alone?” Gajeel blushed, knowing she was right and he should’ve known that. “I appreciate your concern, really, but I know the kind of commitment I’d be making, which is exactly why I’m not trying to make it right now!”

Now he was confused. Gajeel worked his jaw, trying to make sense of what the hell was going on here.

“So you’re not trying to have sex? Are you serious?” He groaned, dropping his head back against the pillows. “Then why are we fighting?!”

“Gajeel, it’s not about sex.” Levy raised an eyebrow at him, running her fingers through his hair. “I don’t want to do that right this minute, but you’re pushing me away from _everything_ I try to do! You won’t even kiss me properly, it’s really frustrating.”

Gajeel’s eye peeked open, assessing her sideways.

“I just don’t want to feel like there’s this giant metal wall between us,” Levy continued, smacking him lightly in the shoulder. “I want us to be comfortable being with each other, not whatever the hell it is we have going on right now. I feel like we’re in middle school or something, and all I want is to-”

She was abruptly silenced by Gajeel’s mouth, hot and firm against her own.

Levy gasped in surprise, taken off guard by Gajeel’s move. He wrapped his arms around her waist, rolling her onto her back and slipping on top of her as he claimed her mouth with his tongue.

If Levy wanted the wall gone, that’s what she’d gotten. She didn’t feel any restraint from Gajeel anymore, just lust and unfiltered enjoyment. His hands skimmed from her waist to her hips to her thighs, squeezing her as they kissed.

Levy’s fingers tangled in Gajeel’s hair, drawing a gentle groan from deep in his throat. She sighed- this is all she wanted. Nothing more, nothing less. She wanted to be with Gajeel like this, just like this, without fear or threat or tension coming between them.

Gajeel broke the kiss to look her in the eye, the relief in his face shining through. He’d been just as frustrated as she was, Levy realised, and now they could let some of that frustration go.

“I love you,” Levy whispered, a blush creeping up her neck as she did. Gajeel smirked, nuzzling her neck with his nose.

“I love you too, Squirt.” He chuckled, pressing another kiss against her pale skin.

.

The next morning Levy insisted they go straight to the guild to inform Makarov of their mission’s success. Gajeel wasn’t thrilled about the idea, but he went along with it. He didn’t say anything, but a lot of the guild members would be happy to see that Levy was alright, especially Jet and Droy.

It was another beautiful day in Magnolia, the sun shining bright and illuminating the guild hall like a beacon. Gajeel had always thought the building looked a bit tacky, but it fit the essence of the people in side well enough.

There was a group of people waiting outside the door when they finally showed; Makarov, Jet, Droy, Lucy, Natsu, Gray, and Juvia all clamoured to greet Levy as she made her way to the door.

“Levy!”

The group rushed her all at once, demanding she give them every detail of what happened- Makarov gave some bare bones information, but he wasn’t sure how much Levy wanted to disclose so he remained mostly silent. Levy appreciated that, as she intended to tell only of their mission as it didn’t include Levy’s history with Kale.

Gajeel watched as Levy was swarmed with her friends, all concerned for her safety. She lit up as she talked to them, laughing at their extensive worry and trying her best to calm them down.

This is what he’d meant when he said he didn’t belong here. Levy was a member of the guild and a member of the family they’d created. He wouldn’t get this kind of welcome if he’d disappeared for a while, that much he knew. With a sad smirk, Gajeel turned to leave Levy to her joyful reunion.

“Hey Gajeel?”

Jet’s voice stopped him in his tracks. Gajeel half turned, acknowledging to the Shadow Gear member that he had his attention.

Jet shuffled his feet nervously, staring firmly at the ground.

“I just wanted to say thank you. You know, for bringing her home safe.”

A short, awkward silence. Gajeel grunted something that could’ve been a ‘you’re welcome’, or a dismissal. Jet wasn’t really sure, but he had some more to say so he ground his teeth and took a deep breath.

“I’m not going to pretend that I understand how Levy feels about you,” He pushed, his eyes focussed on a cluster of rocks by Gajeel’s right foot. “Or how she’s able to forgive you for what you’ve done, but I guess I don’t have to. The choice is Levy’s to make, not mine. And I was an asshole before for acting like I had any say.

“As long as Levy’s happy,” Jet glanced back at his friend, repeatedly assuring the others that she was fine, smiling in a way that Jet had never seen before, and his own spirits lifted. “That’s what’s important. As much as it pains me to say, you clearly care about her. Maybe that’s the only thing that matters.”

Jet’s words hung in the air between them for a short while. He’d wanted to say more, but once the words were out of his mouth it didn’t seem like there was anything else he could say. Gajeel chewed on his words for a while longer, eventually turning fully around to face him.

“Thanks, Jet.” He mumbled, trying to sound sincere. He was sincere, of course, but communicating that through his tone had never been a strong point of his. “And I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry?” Jet repeatedly doubtfully. He wasn’t sure he’d heard that right.

“About… you know,” Gajeel shrugged uncomfortably. Jet’s shoulders straightened. “I don’t expect anyone to forgive me for what I’ve done, least of all you three. Hell, I can’t even forgive myself. How could anyone else?

“I don’t deserve Levy,” He whispered, no longer talking to Jet but to himself. “She sees something in me, and I’ll be damned if I can figure out what, but she does and it seems to make her happy. All I want is for her to be happy, and since I can’t change the past, all I can do is move forward. Change. Become the man she thinks I am. And just maybe, someday,” His eyes met Jet’s, a sad determination shining through their hard exterior. “Maybe someday I’ll earn her love.”

Jet fought back a smile, approaching Gajeel and extending a hand. He wasn’t prepared to say that he liked Gajeel, not just yet, but the oaf was growing on him.

“You’re a good guy, Gajeel.” Jet grinned. “I may not like you, but you’re a good guy. Welcome to the guild… brother.”

Gajeel accepted Jet’s outstretched hand, clasping it in his own just in time for Levy to look over and see them, a delighted smile flashing across her face.

_Would you look at that,_ she thought fondly, _he belongs here after all._


End file.
